Activist forced out of US after criticising Trump-aligned Colombian politician
Beto Coral held up banners in Florida warning fellow Colombians to not vote for Abelardo de la Espriella In the week before Colombia’s presidential election, Beto Coral, a well-known activist living in the United States, travelled to Florida to persuade fellow Colombians not to vote for the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. Coral held banners outside polling stations in Miami warning…
In a controversial move, activist Beto Coral was forcibly removed from the United States after criticizing a Colombian politician aligned with Trump. Coral, a 40-year-old activist living in Florida, had traveled to the state in the weeks leading up to Colombia's presidential election to dissuade Colombians from voting for far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who was endorsed by Trump.
On June 16, 2022, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleging that Coral had been using his presence in the country to conduct political activity against de la Espriella, and that the agency could facilitate his departure. Coral was subsequently arrested and subjected to what he claims were inhumane conditions in detention, including solitary confinement and denial of food and water.
After more than 10 years living in the US, Coral voluntarily returned to Colombia in mid-July. De la Espriella, who won the election and took office, had a history of legal disputes with Coral, including a defamation lawsuit where Coral was ordered to apologize. Coral had been in the US since 2015, applying for political asylum due to death threats he received in Colombia after investigating his father's murder.
A group of Democratic lawmakers demanded Coral's immediate release, arguing that his detention violated his human rights, including his right to free speech.
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