Could Trump-backed ‘El Tigre’ become the next president of Colombia? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 18, 2026 · 27 MIN

Could Trump-backed ‘El Tigre’ become the next president of Colombia?

from The Global Story · host BBC World Service

On Sunday, Colombia will elect a new president. A Trump-endorsed outsider, Abelardo de la Espriella, nicknamed ‘The Tiger,’ is now ahead in the polls, and within striking distance of the presidency. His platform promises a military crackdown on narcoterrorism and closer collaboration with the United States.Many Latin American nations have shifted to the right in recent elections, and the Colombia vote is seen as a crucial litmus test for the wider region’s political landscape. Could Colombia be the next country in Latin America take a hard turn to the right? And how might that benefit President Donald Trump? We speak to BBC South America correspondent, Ione Wells.Producers: Viv Jones and Xandra EllinExecutive producer: Bridget HarneyMix: Travis EvansVideo producer: Matt PintusSenior news editor: China CollinsPhto: Colombian right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella. REUTERS/Cesar Quiroz

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jun 18, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Could Trump-backed ‘El Tigre’ become the next president of Colombia?

0:00 27:34

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Global Story?

This episode is 27 minutes long.

When was this The Global Story episode published?

This episode was published on June 18, 2026.

Can I download this The Global Story episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!