Pro-Trump Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has promised build 10 new mega-prisons as left-wing President Gustavo Petro prepares to leave office.
De la Espriella is a lawyer and businessman who is seeking to become Colombia’s next president as the county holds its presidential election Sunday. Despite no previous political experience, he is rising in the polls to second behind Iván Cepeda, a leftist Colombian activist, according to Reuters.
The upstart lawyer has promised to crack down on drug trafficking, crime, and illegal armed groups. In his attempt to make Columbia safer he has pledged to create 10 new mega-prisons, the outlet reported.
“In my government, there will be no peace processes. Criminals who do not submit will be taken down, as permitted by the law,” de la Espriella said, according to the outlet.
“I will dare to do what needs to be done within the framework of the constitution and the law to save and rebuild Columbia…I am the tiger for that,” the candidate, who has been nicknamed “the tiger,” said in a February interview with Reuters.
De la Espriella has described President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “great allies of democracy,” according to ColumbiaOne.
Cepeda has promised to further economic and social reforms that Petro has pushed for, the outlet reported.
Other candidates are also running in the race including conservative Senator Paloma Valencia, former Medellín mayor Sergio Fajardo and former Bogota mayor Claudia López. A runoff will be held if neither candidate receives 50% of the votes Sunday.
Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, was investigated over ties to drug trafficking. He has also been investigated for whether his campaign was funded by drug traffickers.
Reports show that Petro’s representatives may have attempted to block extradition to the U.S. through solicited bribes.
Petro’s term began in August 2022 and will end in August 2026. He is barred from running in Sunday’s election as Colombian presidents can only serve a single four-year term in office.
Trump and Petro have clashed over the years, and Petro suggested before that it was time to “get rid” of the U.S. president.
De la Espriella believes Petro’s attempt at peacemaking between guerrillas and crime gangs is what led to the country having more drug trafficking issues, Reuters reported.
“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,” de la Espriella said in an interview with Reuters in February.
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