Iván Cepeda calls Trump's backing of Colombian candidate 'interfering'

Iván Cepeda, the presidential candidate for Colombia's leftist coalition, has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's public endorsement of his right-wing rival, Abelardo de la Espriella. Cepeda labeled Trump's statement as "interfering" and a significant risk to Colombia's sovereignty and national integrity.

Trump's endorsement, released via the White House, praised De la Espriella as an "intelligent, strong, and determined" leader who champions his country's interests. The U.S. president asserted that De la Espriella's potential victory would stimulate macroeconomic growth, create formal jobs, boost trade, and aggressively combat organized crime and drug trafficking by restoring "law and order."

Cepeda reacted to this explicit diplomatic backing during a press conference, emphasizing that his campaign is committed to ensuring the Colombian people's sovereignty in their decision on June 21. He argued that De la Espriella's platform, which he claims seeks to transplant U.S. models that would undermine Colombian sovereignty, represents a grave danger to the Andean nation's democracy. "Any president on the planet and in our hemisphere can have predilections for one political option or another being debated in Colombia, but what cannot happen is that unpatriotic actions are taken by Mr. De la Espriella to seek that the definition of our electoral contest be through the intervention of foreign presidents and governments," Cepeda stated.

De la Espriella, who emerged as the leading candidate in the first round of elections with 10.3 million votes (43.74%), expressed gratitude for the institutional support. Cepeda, however, warned that De la Espriella's proposals, such as potentially replacing or restoring Colombian justice with U.S. legal procedures, would mock the nation's sovereignty.

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¡Felicitaciones al Candidato Presidencial Colombiano, “El Tigre (THE TIGER)”, Abelardo de la Espriella, un Líder Inteligente, Fuerte y Duro, por su decisiva Victoria en la primera vuelta de la Elección Presidencial Colombiana! Abelardo lucha incansablemente por, y ama a, su Gran…