Trump aide, left-wing icon: Who will be Colombia’s next leader?

“tiger”–

Abelardo de la Espriella, 47, a millionaire lawyer and businessman, said he entered politics to prevent Colombia from being “destroyed” by the left.

He is highly respected by U.S. President Donald Trump, Argentinian President Javier Mire and El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

Dressed in impeccable tracksuits and, more recently, a bulletproof vest, he has defended high-profile Colombian figures including drug traffickers and football stars during his legal career.

Before launching his presidential campaign, de la Espriella lived in Florence, Italy, where he dabbled in opera, traveled on private jets and promoted his rum and wine business.

To fight drug cartels in Colombia, the world’s largest producer of cocaine, de la Espriella has proposed a military alliance with the United States and Israel and the construction of giant prisons while defending the right to bear arms.

“Any criminal who does not surrender will be captured as long as the law allows,” he told AFP in an interview in February.

The self-proclaimed “Tiger” candidate likes to swear and is known for his short temper.

He called for the “annihilation” of the Colombian left, but later softened his rhetoric.

He also made comments that were considered homophobic and sexist, and often referred to his “balls.”

-Survivor-

Ivan Cepeda made his first public appearance in 1994, when he was in his early 30s, next to the body of his father, a communist senator assassinated by paramilitary forces.

He was televised calling for justice while standing in front of a bullet-riddled truck.

“Don’t let this crime go unpunished,” Cepeda told reporters in a cautious tone during a persecution that has seen more than 5,700 leftist leaders killed.

The 63-year-old has previously lived in exile in the former Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Cuba and France.

After returning to Colombia, he advocated for victims of armed conflict and played a key role in the historic 2016 peace agreement that led to the disarmament of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), once the country’s largest armed group.

His opponents accuse him of links to the FARC and of crafting outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s “comprehensive peace” plan.

“I survived genocide, stigmatization and relentless persecution. And I’m still here,” he said during the campaign.

Cepeda usually wears a traditional Caribbean shirt, but he ditched the tie, which he considered a symbol of the oligarchy.

The senator led the court investigation into former President Uribe’s ties to paramilitary groups, and Uribe became the first Colombian leader to be convicted last year.

Although a judge later overturned the ruling, the incident made Cepeda a major political opponent of leaders on the right and an icon on the left.

/lv/arb/mjf

This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.