The hard-right presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella @ABDELAESPRIELLA has overtaken the far-left candidate Iván Capeda according to @polynarket, which now has him at 44% to win the Colombian election. The independent candidate is known for his hardline “mano dura” (iron fist) security policies and admiration for leaders like Nayib Bukele and Javier Milei. Inspired by Bukele, he’s campaigning on crushing crime by building mega-prisons and introducing harsh punishments. The maximum-security mega-prisons (modeled on El Salvador’s CECOT) would be guarded by military reservists and veterans. He also promises to implement a crackdown against the numerous communist terror groups in the country, vowing no peace processes with armed groups, favoring only surrenders or military action. He wants to eradicate the narco-terrorists with aerial fumigation of coca crops and military bombings of narco-terrorist camps in the jungle. He says that he would introduce a radical state reduction with up to 40% by eliminating hundreds of thousands of public positions, slashing taxes and deregulating the economy, following in the footsteps of Javier Milei. Espriella wants to shift Colombia’s foreign policy shifts by taking strong measures against the far-left regime in Venezuela while strengthening ties with the U.S. and the West. He considers the current president Gustavo Petro an “ex-terrorist” and “social-communist demon.” The first round of the election will take place on May 31st @ABDELAESPRIELLA