Donald Trump's Latin American proconsuls
The US once supported military coups to keep Latin America under its control. Now, a weaker left and the rise of organised crime are helping the far right assert itself. This suits the White House just fine. - 2026/08 / article
The United States has long backed military coups in Latin America to maintain control over the region. Recently, a weakening left and organized crime have allowed the far right to gain traction, which suits the White House's interests. Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer and self-described 'Catholic with an ecumenical outlook' who calls himself 'the Tiger', recently won the first round of Colombia's presidential election.
Espriella, who holds US, Colombian, Italian, and Colombian passports, is vocal about his loyalty to former US President Donald Trump. He has expressed a desire for a revised version of Plan Colombia, which previously enabled Washington to station troops in Colombia from 2000 to 2015 to combat guerrilla fighters. During his campaign, Espriella promised to rebuild Colombia's armed forces, destroy coca plantations, and crush armed groups with the help of the US and Israel.
His goal is to end his predecessor's failed strategy of 'total peace.' Espriella's rise is part of a growing far-right movement in Latin America.
Written by urgent.news from Le Monde diplomatique (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.