‘Institutional threat’: election of far-right leader raises fears for democracy in Colombia

<p>Trump-admiring Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to ‘disembowel’ the left and kill criminals like ‘rats and cockroaches’</p><p>When more than 20 women accused a Colombian evangelical pastor in 2012 of sexually abusing them, the defendant’s lawyer sought to discredit the allegations by telling the court that they were “<em>trepadoras</em>” – a pejorative term meaning social climbers.</p><p>He ultimately secured his client’s acquittal – although the case remains <a href="https://revistaraya.com/victimas-del-pastor-alvaro-gamez-de-pasto-rechazan-la-candidatura-presidencial-de-abelardo-de-la-espriella.html">under review</a> by the supreme court – but footage of the remark resurfaced during Colombia’s presidential campaign, sparking outrage among many progressive voters.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/22/election-far-right-leader-fears-democracy-colombia-espriella-trump">Continue reading...</a>