US Congress divided over Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella

A group of Democratic members of the U.S. House sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, urging a thorough investigation of Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. They cited alleged past ties to the paramilitary Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), designated as a terrorist organization, and connections to at least 14 alleged shell companies in Florida used for large real‑estate transactions. The Democrats warned that the Trump administration’s public support for De la Espriella constituted "a blatant interference" in Colombia’s elections.

In response, members of the House International Affairs Committee issued a separate letter backing De la Espriella, describing his record as "unblemished" and rejecting the accusations made by their Democratic colleagues. The supporters highlighted his proposed policies to curb insecurity, reduce the fiscal deficit and attract foreign investment, and emphasized that De la Espriella is a U.S. citizen who has practiced law in South Florida for over a decade without any findings of wrongdoing by the Department of Justice. The two letters reflect the partisan split in Washington over the candidate who is facing left‑wing contender Iván Cepeda in Colombia’s second‑round presidential runoff scheduled for 21 June 2026.