Protests erupted in Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali on Sunday, after the presidential election, with demonstrators burning American flags and clashing with riot police, according to local reports.Police used tear gas to disperse crowds of thousands, following the announcement of a narrow victory for Trump-endorsed hard-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who defeated left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda in a closely contested runoff.According to a preliminary vote count cited by Reuters, millionaire lawyer and self-styled political outsider won Colombia’s presidential election with 49.66 per cent of the vote, narrowly ahead of left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda’s 48.7 per cent. With 99.99 per cent of ballots counted, De La Espriella secured 12.96 million votes, leading Cepeda by 250,830 votes.
‘The Tiger’ promised hardline security agenda
Nicknamed ‘The Tiger’ by supporters, De La Espriella campaigned as an anti-establishment figure. He positioned himself as a leader capable of restoring order and reviving Colombia’s economy. De La Espriella portrayed himself as a savior capable of restoring order in a country rattled by illegal armed groups and drug trafficking.He rose to prominence with a tough-on-crime message and secured 43.7 percent in the first round before winning the runoff.The president-elect has pledged sweeping economic and security changes, including reducing the size of the state, expanding the tax base, ending peace efforts with armed groups, and shifting towards a stronger military response.He has also proposed restarting oil exploration and expanding fracking, aiming to increase production to 1.3 million barrels per day.De La Espriella has claimed self-financing for his campaign, though the claims could not be independently verified.
Who is he?
Aside from his legal career, De La Espriella has built a business portfolio spanning wine, rum, clothing and real estate. However, Colombian investigative outlet La Silla Vacía reported that several of his companies were dissolved, carried debt or posted losses in 2024, with his law firm remaining his most profitable venture.The campaign declined to answer the outlet’s questions about his businesses and later challenged its funding in a public letter. La Silla Vacía rejected allegations of bias.The 47-year-old lawyer became known on the campaign trail for using a military salute despite never serving in the armed forces. Often seen wearing luxury watches and designer sunglasses, he has drawn comparisons with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, though he rejects such parallels. De La Espriella has nevertheless proposed building 10 mega-prisons in Colombia.He has also faced scrutiny for representing controversial clients, including Alex Saab, who faces money laundering charges in the US. A married father of four, De La Espriella grew up in Montería, performs traditional vallenato music, and holds Colombian, US and Italian citizenship.
Trump administration welcomes De La Espriella’s victory
US President Donald Trump congratulated him on Truth Social, saying, ‘He won, big!’ according to a post cited in reports.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said in a post on X that, “The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties.”De La Espriella is expected to assume office on August 7, as Colombia prepares for a new political direction under his presidency.