Abelardo de la Espriella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abelardo de la Espriella
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De la Espriella in 2026
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| 36th President of Colombia | |
| Assumed office 7 August 2026 |
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| Preceded by | Gustavo Petro |
| Leader of Defenders of the Homeland | |
| Assumed office 5 August 2024 |
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| President | Mauricio Gómez Amín |
| Preceded by | Party established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero
31 July 1978 Bogotá, D.C., Colombia |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Defenders of the Homeland (since 2024) |
| Spouses |
Yoly Illidge
(m. 2001; div. 2004)Ana Lucía Pineda
(m. 2008) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Sergio Arboleda University (LLB) |
| Signature | |
| Website | Defensores de la Patria |
| Nickname | The Tiger |
Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero (born 31 July 1978) is a Colombian lawyer, businessman, and politician. He became the President of Colombia on 7 August 2026. He is also the founder and leader of the Defenders of the Homeland movement, which started in 2024.
Mr. de la Espriella was born in Bogotá and grew up in Montería, Colombia. He studied law at Sergio Arboleda University and Del Rosario University. He also earned a master's degree in law from Nebrija University in 2012. He became well-known for defending important people in legal cases. He also founded an organization called the Foundation for Peace Initiatives (FIPAZ). This group worked on ideas for peace and discussed important legal changes.
De la Espriella supports people owning weapons for protection. He believes Colombia should leave some international groups like the United Nations. He also supports economic policies that allow businesses more freedom. In foreign policy, he wants Colombia to work closely with the United States. He also supports restoring diplomatic ties with Israel.
In the 2026 Colombian presidential election, de la Espriella won the first round on 31 May. He then defeated Iván Cepeda in the final election on 21 June. His victory was by a very small margin. He received 12.9 million votes, which is the most votes ever for a presidential candidate in Colombia.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Abelardo de la Espriella's father was a lawyer. His mother came from a family of cattle ranchers. They were also involved in local politics.
During his younger years, de la Espriella knew Salvatore Mancuso. They went to the same high school. He also enjoyed theater and worked at a local radio station. He has a strong interest in hunting and firearms.
He ran for governor of Córdoba in 1997. He is also a close friend of Álvaro Uribe, who was president of Colombia from 2002 to 2010.
After high school, he moved to Bogotá to study law. He attended Sergio Arboleda University and Del Rosario University. In 2012, he completed his master's degree in law.
De la Espriella worked with the Initiatives for Peace Foundation (FIPAZ). This group aimed to promote peace and discuss changes to the Constitution. He also became a U.S. citizen in 2023 after living in Miami for many years.
Important Legal Cases
De la Espriella has defended many important political figures. Some of these people were accused of having ties to certain groups. He also represented Dania Londoño Suárez in 2012. This case involved a woman linked to an event in Cartagena. He helped her arrange interviews with magazines and TV networks.
From 2013 to 2019, de la Espriella was a lawyer for Alex Saab. Mr. Saab was a businessman who later faced serious legal issues in the United States. In 2015, de la Espriella also represented Pastor Álvaro Gámez in legal cases involving serious accusations. Some people questioned his involvement in these cases. They felt he did not believe the testimonies of the accusers.
In 2018, de la Espriella was the lawyer for former President Andrés Pastrana Arango. This was after a congressman made serious accusations against the former president. De la Espriella helped Pastrana clear his name. In late 2023, de la Espriella suggested Pastrana for a role in his future government.
In 2019, de la Espriella publicly supported police officers. This was after incidents involving police actions during protests. He offered his legal help to police officers for free. In 2026, some groups raised concerns about his legal actions against journalists. They described these actions as using legal means to bother journalists.
FIPAZ Foundation and Peace Efforts
In 2005, de la Espriella started the Foundation for Peace Initiatives (FIPAZ). This foundation organized discussions at universities. These events included former leaders of armed groups. Salvatore Mancuso was also present at some of these events. FIPAZ also worked to change laws about sending people to other countries for trials.
In 2008, a former armed group leader said FIPAZ helped spread their ideas. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Justice looked into FIPAZ's work. They noted that FIPAZ promoted political ideas when armed groups were causing harm. The court asked for an investigation into de la Espriella. However, a legal investigation against him for serious legal issues was closed in 2009.
Presidential Election of 2026
During his campaign for the May–June 2026 presidential election, de la Espriella focused on strong leadership. He wanted to show he was capable of governing Colombia.
His campaign events included leaders from across Latin America. These included military veterans and religious leaders. Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa supported his campaign. He said trade between Ecuador and Colombia would improve. Chilean president José Antonio Kast and Argentine president Javier Milei also supported him. The Colombian government expressed concerns about this foreign interference. Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori also congratulated him on his victory.
U.S. President Donald Trump also supported de la Espriella. He said de la Espriella could improve relations between Colombia and the United States. A U.S. ambassador nominee also looked forward to working with him.
Experts noted that voters were tired of crime. They wanted leaders who could solve these problems. This explained the shift in political leadership in Colombia.
Presidency (since 2026)
President de la Espriella took his oath of office on 7 August 2026. The ceremony took place in Cali. Many important guests attended. These included presidents from Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador. The King of Spain, Felipe VI, was also there.
Cabinet Members
- Vice President: José Manuel Restrepo
- Minister of the Interior: Rodrigo Lara Restrepo
- Minister of Foreign Affairs: Omar Bula
- Minister of Finance and Public Credit: Miguel Gómez Martínez
- Minister of Justice and Law: Iván Cancino
- Minister of Defence: Jorge Mora López
- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: Indalecio Dangond
- Minister of Mines and Energy: María Nohemí Arboleda
- Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism: Mauricio Gómez Amín
- Minister of National Education: Viviane Morales
- Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development: Fabio Arjona
- Minister of Housing, City and Territory: Jaime Andrés Beltrán
- Minister of Information Technologies and Communications: Alexandra Falla Zerrate
- Minister of Transport: Elsa Noguera
- Minister of Culture: Paola Holguín
- Minister of Sports: Juliana Gutiérrez
- Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation: Claudia Benavides Salazar
- Minister of Health and Social Protection: Ana María Vesga
- Minister of Labour: Natalia López Fuentes
Political Views and Policies
De la Espriella is often described as a right-wing politician. He supports people owning weapons for protection. He also believes Colombia should leave international groups like the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He supports strong measures to maintain order during protests.
De la Espriella has proposed changes to the prison system. He wants to create large new prisons across the country. He also wants to change how prisons are managed.
He has shown strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He believes Israel is doing what it needs to do to defend its people. Following his election, Netanyahu congratulated him.
De la Espriella supports economic policies that give businesses more freedom. He also wants to reduce the number of government ministries. He supports strong actions against crime. He also wants to end peace talks with Colombian armed groups. He admires U.S. President Donald Trump. He wants Colombia's foreign policy to align closely with the United States. He supported strong international actions regarding Venezuela in January 2026. He also wants to join Trump's "Shield of the Americas" initiative. He supports changes in Cuba's government and closer ties with the U.S. He also supports stricter immigration policies for Colombians entering the U.S.
De la Espriella wants to restore diplomatic ties with Israel. These ties were broken by the previous Colombian government. He plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem. He holds traditional views on family and social issues. He believes in teaching traditional values in schools. He also wants to limit the power of the main teachers' union.
Among his plans is a major government reform. This reform aims to reduce government size by 40%. It would cut many jobs and eliminate entire ministries. He also wants to simplify rules for government agencies. He has expressed concerns about a system for dealing with past conflicts. He is interested in using artificial intelligence in government. He also wants to partner with companies like Elon Musk's Starlink. This would help provide internet access to rural areas.
Personal Life
De la Espriella was an atheist for some years. He later converted to Catholicism. He now supports traditional Christian values. He is married to Ana Lucía Pineda. They have four children together.
Images for kids
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Diego Cadena and Abelardo de la Espriella, both lawyers.
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See also
In Spanish: Abelardo de la Espriella para niños
