(Adnkronos) – Italy’s conservative premier Giorgia Meloni on Monday congratulated Trump-backed far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, who narrowly won Colombia’s presidential election with almost 49.7 percent of the vote while left-wing rival Ivan Cepeda won 48.7 percent, according to an initial count of the run-off with over 99 percent of ballots counted.
“Congratulations to Abelardo de la Espriella, newly elected President of the Republic of Colombia. Bolstered by his already deep personal relationship with Italy, I am ready to collaborate together to further develop our already solid bilateral relations,” Meloni wrote on X.
“We will work in unision for economic growth, stability and international security, and to strengthen cooperation in countering drug trafficking and transnational criminal organisations, in a sign of the closeness between our nations. Best wishes for a successful tenure, President @ABDELAESPRIELLA,” the post added.
“I look forward to welcoming you to Italy.”
De la Espriella has pledged a military crackdown on illegal armed groups, drugs traffficking and crime, marking a dramatic shift in how the government will tackle the country’s internal armed conflict and violence.
Cepeda, a close ally of president Gustavo Petro, has not conceded, saying the preliminary count was “not yet official or binding”.
