Colombia's President Endorses Rep. Salazar Amid Trump Feud

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella endorsed Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar of Florida on Monday, calling her "Colombia's best friend in U.S. Congress" in a Spanish-language video Salazar posted on X, according to NBC News. The endorsement lands as Salazar runs for re-election in a heavily Hispanic South Florida district and navigates an open break with President Donald Trump over immigration enforcement.

Who is backing Salazar, and why does it matter?

De la Espriella, who is Colombian-American and owns property in Salazar's district, is described by NBC News as Trump-allied. He and his wife have donated nearly $90,000 to Salazar's campaigns in the past, per the outlet's reporting. His public praise gives Salazar a notable overseas validator at the same moment her standing with the White House has frayed — a split that could matter in a district where NBC News reports more than 74% of residents are Hispanic, many with ties to Colombia and Venezuela, according to census data cited in the story.

What did Salazar say that broke with Trump?

Salazar aired an ad last month addressing Trump directly, saying some of his immigration enforcement efforts had gone "too far," according to NBC News. "Be careful what your advisers are telling you about immigration policy. The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today," she said in the ad, as quoted by the outlet. The remarks put her among several House Republicans who have distanced themselves from the administration's immigration approach heading into the midterms.

How has Trump responded to Salazar's ad?

Trump told reporters at the White House that "without me she wouldn't have gotten elected," and said Salazar "got a little bit soft on the border," while adding he still supported her campaign, according to NBC News. He later used Truth Social to amplify posts attacking her, including one calling for a new Republican to replace her weeks before the election, the outlet reported. The sequence — public criticism followed by amplified attacks from supporters — has left Salazar navigating re-election without the full backing of her party's standard-bearer.

Who else has endorsed Salazar amid the rift?

Colombia's president is not the only foreign figure to back Salazar publicly in recent days. NBC News reports that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado posted a video endorsement last week calling Salazar a "firm and loyal ally to the cause of Venezuelan freedom." Together, the two endorsements position Salazar as drawing support from right-leaning leaders in the region even as her relationship with Trump has cooled — a split audience that could appeal to voters in a district with deep Colombian and Venezuelan diaspora ties.

What does Salazar's district look like heading into the midterms?

Salazar has represented the Florida district since 2021, according to NBC News, in an area the outlet describes as having swung dramatically among presidential candidates. The district's demographic makeup — more than 74% Hispanic, per census data referenced in the NBC News report — makes outreach to Colombian and Venezuelan communities a meaningful part of any campaign strategy there, which may explain why endorsements from De la Espriella and Machado carry local weight even without a nod from Trump himself.

Timeline: Salazar's break with Trump and the overseas endorsements

• September 2026: Salazar airs an ad telling Trump some immigration enforcement had gone "too far," according to NBC News.
• Following days: Trump tells reporters Salazar "got a little bit soft on the border" but says he still supports her campaign, per the outlet.
• Subsequent days: Trump amplifies Truth Social posts attacking Salazar, including one calling for her replacement, NBC News reports.
• Early October 2026: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado posts a video endorsement of Salazar, calling her an ally for Venezuelan freedom.
• Oct. 12, 2026: Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella posts a video calling Salazar "Colombia's best friend in U.S. Congress," NBC News reports.

The race remains weeks away, and NBC News notes the district's history of sharp swings between presidential candidates — a dynamic that makes the competing signals from Washington and abroad part of the backdrop voters will weigh before Election Day.

Quotags is A quote-card app first shipped in 2013. Version 2.0 is returning soon — do not install an old binary.