The Colombian president Abelardo de la Espriella became the latest significant Latin American supporter of Republican congresswoman María Elvira Salazar by publishing a video in Spanish in which he described her as "the best friend of Colombia in the United States Congress" and called for her reelection for District 27 of Florida on November 3rd.
The gesture comes at a politically sensitive moment for Salazar: weeks ago, the Cuban-American congresswoman publicly distanced herself from Donald Trump by criticizing his immigration policies, which sparked an open clash with the president and turned a race that seemed secure into a competitive contest.
In the video, De la Espriella was direct: "She has always been there, she has always defended Colombia; that's why I stand firm with my friend. Firm for the homeland."
Salazar expressed his gratitude for the support on X with equal enthusiasm: "Colombia is looking ahead once again. And I proudly accept the backing of my friend, President Abelardo de la Espriella." He added that "Abelardo has in me a friend. Colombia, an ally. And Colombians, a strong voice in the United States Congress."
The endorsement from the Colombian leader is not the first to come from Latin America. Days earlier, the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado published her own support video, in which she described Salazar as "a steadfast and loyal ally in the cause of Venezuela's freedom" and emphasized: "When others have hesitated, you have remained steadfast in your position. When others have stayed silent, you have raised your voice."
The convergence of these supporters forms a Latin American anti-communist front around Salazar, who has historically been one of the most active voices in Congress against the regimes of Cuba and Venezuela, in a district where more than 74% of the population is Hispanic and with a strong presence of Colombians and Venezuelans.
The connection between De la Espriella and Salazar has documented precedents. According to records from the Federal Election Commission, the Colombian president and his wife have contributed nearly 90,000 dollars to Salazar's campaigns over the years.
At the same time, Salazar publicly supported De la Espriella's presidential candidacy in May and June, prior to his victory in the runoff on June 21 against leftist senator Iván Cepeda.
The clash between Salazar and Trump erupted in September when the congresswoman released a video in front of the White House stating, "Mr. President, your anti-immigration policy has gone too far," and warned that "the same Hispanics who supported you in your bid for the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today."
Trump responded without withdrawing his formal backing, but firmly: "I am very strong on borders and she is not" and "Maria only won because of me."
After that episode, Salazar revealed that she spoke directly with Trump and described the conversation as positive, although she did not confirm any policy changes.
The race has tightened since then. The Cook Political Report moved the district from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican," and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee included the seat in its "Red to Blue" program with additional resources.
The opponent of Salazar, Eliott Rodríguez —former CBS Miami anchor and also Cuban-American— responded to the Latino endorsements with a message focused on local issues: "As much as my opponent wants to make this election about politics in Latin America, it really is about the people of Florida's District 27."
Despite the increasing competition, Decision Desk HQ gives Salazar a 76% chance of retaining the seat, and the congresswoman maintains a significant financial advantage: two million dollars in cash compared to 661,000 for Rodríguez.
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