Marco Rubio: US will ensure free and fair election in Colombia

The United States will work to guarantee a free and fair election in Colombia's upcoming presidential runoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Wednesday. His remarks came during a House of Representatives hearing, following accusations by outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro of irregularities in the first round of voting.

"We will be very firm in guaranteeing a fair and free election in Colombia and will do everything in our power to ensure it," Rubio declared. He was responding to a question from Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar about whether the Trump administration would sanction individuals involved in electoral fraud in Colombia.

Rubio's comments follow former President Donald Trump's full entry into the Colombian campaign, where he endorsed right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. De la Espriella, who secured 44% of the vote in the first round, is set to face leftist Iván Cepeda, who garnered 41%, in the June 21 runoff. Petro has previously questioned the transparency of Colombia's electoral system and stated he would not accept the results released by the National Registry.

Petro later criticized Trump's "complete and total" endorsement of De la Espriella, urging citizens to vote freely. The U.S. commitment to electoral integrity in Colombia highlights the international attention on the South American nation's political future.