Abelardo De La Espriella, Colombia’s president-elect, previously operated as a defense lawyer in Miami specializing in cases involving Latin American drug traffickers and money laundering. Licensed in Colombia but not in Florida, De La Espriella worked with clients entangled in U.S. investigations, notably including Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman charged with laundering millions on behalf of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro. Federal prosecutors in Florida and New York examined De La Espriella’s activities during their probe into Saab’s financial dealings, though De La Espriella was never formally charged.
De La Espriella’s legal work in Miami, beginning around 2013, involved collaborating with Jorge Luis Hernández, a former trafficker and registered informant for several U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Hernández, who also worked as a paralegal for South Florida law firms, pleaded guilty to laundering money connected to Saab’s accounts. Court records indicate these funds were used to pay Saab’s lawyers, though there is no evidence the attorneys were involved in illicit activities. De La Espriella has acknowledged knowing Hernández but denied a working relationship.
Before transitioning to politics, De La Espriella cultivated an affluent Miami lifestyle, owning properties and launching various businesses, including a piano bar and a liquor store. His accountant described him as more artistically inclined than business-focused, noting that his ventures saw mixed success. De La Espriella also developed a social media presence as an influencer, promoting fashion lines and hosting podcasts.
In 2023, after becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, De La Espriella returned to Colombia. Campaigning as a populist law-and-order candidate, he positioned himself as a staunch opponent of leftist politics and promised strong measures against drug trafficking organizations. His platform received an endorsement from former U.S. President Donald Trump. De La Espriella was elected president in June and is slated to take office in August.
Critics, including his defeated opponent Iván Cepeda, have raised concerns about De La Espriella’s ties to figures associated with Colombia’s paramilitary groups and narcotics trade. Cepeda has called for transparency regarding De La Espriella’s past and urged peaceful resistance until full disclosure is provided. De La Espriella’s office declined to revisit questions about his legal work and maintains that he was never investigated or charged in connection with any criminal activity.
U.S. lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Moreno and Representative María Elvira Salazar, stated that De La Espriella was vetted by U.S. authorities prior to his electoral success. The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on the matter.
De La Espriella’s association with Alex Saab ended in 2019 following Saab’s indictment and sanctioning by U.S. authorities. Saab was detained in Cape Verde in 2020 and extradited to the United States in 2021, where he faces trial. De La Espriella said he advised Saab to cooperate with U.S. investigators and arranged meetings, though Saab ultimately declined.
As De La Espriella prepares to assume the presidency, his controversial background, once largely confined to Miami’s legal circles, has resurfaced amid Colombia’s broader challenges with drug trafficking and political division. His stated commitment to intensifying the fight against “narcoterrorists” aligns with his campaign promises and U.S. interests in the region, marking a significant shift from his previous role defending individuals involved in the narcotics trade.