Steve Cortes, president and founder of the League of American Workers, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s push to strengthen ties with the United States clashes with voter priorities on security and U.S. relations, and he voiced support for Abelardo de la Espriella as a top contender in the presidential race.
“Colombian leftist Pres Petro is at the White House right now, trying to play nice with Pres Trump,” said Cortes. “He’s been a terrible, corrupt politician in Colombia, and notoriously anti-U.S. Time for Abelardo de la Espriella.”
Cortes shared his views in a post on X, linking President Petro’s visit to the White House with recent polling data following the U.S. arrest of Nicolás Maduro. The article highlights public approval of Maduro’s arrest and positions de la Espriella as a prominent candidate in the upcoming election.
According to Insight Crime, Colombia faced increased violence in 2025 due to criminal groups vying for control over drug trafficking and mining operations. The Ombudsman’s Office reported significant displacements and deaths in regions such as Catatumbo, Chocó, Nariño, and Cauca, where armed factions maintained control over critical border corridors with Venezuela.
The City Paper Bogota cited a January 2026 AtlasIntel poll indicating that de la Espriella held approximately 28% support in the presidential race, surpassing Iván Cepeda at 26.5% and Sergio Fajardo at 9.4%. Voters identified security and economic issues as key concerns.
Cortes was born in Chicago in 1972 to Colombian heritage; his father immigrated legally from Colombia. He graduated from Georgetown University before transitioning from finance to political commentary. Cortes served as an advisor during Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, focusing on the Hispanic community. He has appeared on networks such as Fox News, CNN, and CNBC and founded the League of American Workers to advocate for conservative policies.
