A businessman and attorney without any political background is making waves in Colombia’s presidential race this Sunday, promising harsh measures against criminal organizations and drug cartels.
Abelardo De La Espriella, who goes by the nickname ‘The Tiger’ among his followers, has positioned himself as the candidate who can fix Colombia’s economic troubles and security issues. Recent polling shows him in second place, trailing leftist opponent Ivan Cepeda.
The candidate criticizes current President Gustavo Petro’s failed efforts to negotiate peace agreements with guerrilla fighters and criminal organizations, arguing these attempts have led to increased drug smuggling and unauthorized gold extraction. He also considers his conservative opponent, Senator Paloma Valencia, as representing the political establishment.
‘Colombia is going through its darkest hours. At the end of the day this is not a battle between Ivan Cepeda and me, it is a battle between totalitarianism and democracy,’ he said in a February interview with Reuters.
‘I will dare to do what needs to be done within the framework of the constitution and the law to save and rebuild Colombia…I am the tiger for that,’ he added.
De La Espriella claims to be funding his own campaign, though Reuters was unable to confirm this independently.
The 47-year-old candidate’s appearance and speaking style have sparked comparisons to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. Like Bukele, De La Espriella wears designer sunglasses and expensive timepieces, sports a well-groomed beard, and advocates for aggressive law enforcement tactics. Bukele’s administration has imprisoned over 90,000 individuals as part of a security initiative that human rights organizations condemn but voters support for reducing murder rates.
Despite never having military service, De La Espriella performs military-style salutes during campaign events and in promotional materials.
While he rejects claims that he’s copying Bukele’s approach, De La Espriella has committed to constructing 10 large-scale detention facilities.
‘In my government there will be no peace processes. Criminals who do not submit will be taken down, as permitted by law,’ he warned.
The candidate was raised in Monteria, a northern Colombian city, where he developed an appreciation for vallenato folk music and has performed as a tenor singer.
De La Espriella is married with four children and owns various business ventures, including liquor companies, a restaurant in Miami, and investments in livestock, construction, and property development.
His legal practice has represented Alex Saab, who faces money laundering charges in the United States related to alleged work for former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as well as individuals connected to corruption cases and paramilitary organizations. De La Espriella maintains that his attorney-client relationships involved no illegal activities.
