Trump Endorses Abelardo De La Espriella, Right-Wing Presidential Candidate in Colombia

President Trump inserted himself into Colombia’s presidential election on Tuesday night, energetically endorsing a right-wing candidate in what has been a pattern of putting his finger on the scale of foreign elections during his second term.Posting on Truth Social, Mr.Trump congratulated Abelardo De La Espriella, who advanced in Sunday’s election to a second round in June, when he will face a candidate from the party of the sitting left-wing president, Gustavo Petro.“The results of this Election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States,” Mr.

Trump wrote in a post full of praise for Mr.De La Espriella, whom he referred to by his campaign moniker, “El Tigre,” or The Tiger.

“Because of his tremendous accomplishments in life, and his political support for me, personally, it is my Honor to give Abelardo my Complete and Total Endorsement.”Mr.Trump, whose support of like-minded leaders has helped to fuel a right-wing wave in Latin America, also characterized the candidate’s rival in the runoff, Iván Cepeda, as a “Radical Left Marxist.”Mr.

Cepeda’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.On Tuesday night, Mr.De La Espriella thanked Mr.

Trump for his “decisive support,” promising to strengthen U.S.-Colombia relations “like never before.”“It’s fundamental to understand that the United States is decisive to fight crime, narcoterrorism and liberate Colombia once and for all from so much pain and so much violence,” he said in an interview with a Colombian news channel.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....