U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar publicly endorsed conservative Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella on Wednesday, urging right-wing voters to unite ahead of Sunday's election and warning that Colombia "cannot afford to repeat the disaster of petrismo."
In a video message directed at Colombians living in Florida and shared on social media, the Republican congresswoman framed the election as a choice between "the left and the right" and argued that President Gustavo Petro's administration had weakened security and strengthened narcotrafficking networks.
"We know that under the Petro administration coca cultivation reached record levels, close to 300,000 hectares," Salazar said. "Citizen security has been lost with more than a 200% increase in kidnappings."
Salazar also criticized Petro over reports alleging his government shared sensitive military information with guerrilla groups, saying: "That is not good for the country."
The Florida lawmaker expressed explicit support for De la Espriella, describing him as "a friend of the United States" and emphasizing his ties to Florida and his dual U.S.-Colombian citizenship. "The United States wants the best for Colombia," she said, adding that Washington seeks "trade, closeness and ideological affinity" with Bogotá.
Mensaje a mis hermanos colombianos: este domingo, el futuro de Colombia está en sus manos. pic.twitter.com/EEg1ZupBvU
— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) May 27, 2026
In a separate post on X featuring comments made to NTN24, Salazar sharpened her criticism of Petro's government, saying that "Colombia cannot afford to repeat the disaster of petrismo. More coca, more violence, more guerrilla activity, and more economic chaos."
"The Colombian people have already seen what happens when the radical left comes to power," she added. "Now Colombia faces a historic decision: recover order, security, and close ties with the United States, or continue down the path of failure."
Colombia no puede darse el lujo de repetir el desastre del petrismo.
— María Elvira Salazar 🇺🇸 (@MaElviraSalazar) May 27, 2026
Más coca, más violencia, más guerrilla y más caos económico. El pueblo colombiano ya vio lo que pasa cuando la izquierda radical llega al poder.
Ahora Colombia tiene una decisión histórica: recuperar el orden,… pic.twitter.com/NBx6lD6OOu
The comments echo previous ones she made in early May urging Colombian to voted against allowing what she described as a return of "socialism" and "communism" through the candidacy of ruling coalition senator Iván Cepeda, whom she referred to as "Petro number two."
Colombia is entering the final days of a closely watched presidential race expected to head to a runoff election in June. Polls have consistently shown Cepeda leading the field, while De la Espriella and conservative senator Paloma Valencia compete for a place in the second round.
Salazar, one of the Republican Party's most outspoken voices on Latin America, has repeatedly criticized left-wing governments in the region, including those of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
