Outgoing left-wing Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the United States, Thursday in an interview with AFP, of having "allied" with "genocidaires" and "drug traffickers". Comments made after Donald Trump gave his support to the far-right candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella, who came first in the first round of the presidential election in Colombia.
Published on: 05/06/2026 - 02:29Modified on: 05/06/2026 - 08:15
Political support for Donald Trump castigated by the president of Colombia. The outgoing left-wing president Gustavo Petro accused, Thursday June 4, the United States of having “allied” with “genocidaires” and “drug traffickers”.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump announced his "total and complete" support for Abelardo de la Espriella, representative of the Colombian hard right and admirer of the American president, for the second round of the presidential election scheduled for June 21.
“Your allies in Colombia come from narco-paramilitary governance, they are genocidaires and drug traffickers,” said Gustavo Petro in an interview with AFP at the presidential headquarters in Bogota.
Also read: Presidential election in Colombia: social reforms or "total peace"... what is the outcome for Gustavo Petro?
The Colombian left regularly accuses paramilitary groups of involvement in drug trafficking and of having committed "genocide" against left-wing movements at the height of the conflict which shook the country in the 1980s and 1990s.
“I regret that personalities and governments who precisely claim to fight against drug trafficking contribute to bringing crime to political power in Colombia,” added Gustavo Petro, accusing Abelardo de la Espriella of representing “mafia fascism”.
A lawyer who defended paramilitaries accused of drug trafficking
Abelardo de la Espriella, a millionaire businessman and lawyer by profession, notably defended paramilitaries accused of drug trafficking in court, in this country which is the world's leading producer of cocaine.
A political novice and nicknamed "El Tigre", he welcomed the support of the American billionaire, promising to establish relations "like never before" with the United States, a country which "plays a decisive role in the fight against crime and narcoterrorism".
Admirer of Donald Trump and Salvadoran Presidents Nayib Bukele and Argentinian Presidents Javier Milei, the businessman promises death or prison for members of criminal organizations, repeating an "iron fist" rhetoric which has recently earned several victories for the right in Latin America.
It is to this same right that Donald Trump is increasing the signs of support on the South American continent.
“As president, Abelardo would be exceptionally successful in growing the economy, creating jobs, promoting trade, stopping illegal immigration, cracking down on crime and drugs, and restoring ORDER,” the Republican billionaire wrote on his social network on Tuesday.
Washington’s “desire to interfere”
Ivan Cepeda, the left-wing candidate in the second round, close to Gustavo Petro, denounced on Wednesday a "desire for interference" from Washington, denouncing "a serious risk for the sovereignty and integrity of the Colombian people and nation".
Relations between Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump have been stormy since the Republican tycoon's return to the White House.
Trump described his counterpart as the "leader of drug trafficking", Petro retorting that it is the right in Colombia which "has always been linked to drug trafficking", in the world's leading producer of cocaine.
Having become the country's first left-wing president in 2022, Gustavo Petro cannot run for a second term under the Constitution.
With AFP
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