US Representative Gregory Meeks has cautioned Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella against interfering in US House of Representatives elections, warning that such involvement could jeopardise decades of bipartisan support for relations between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Meeks, the ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the choice of representatives to Congress rests solely with American voters.
“ A foreign leader interfering in American elections is unacceptable,” Meeks said, emphasising the importance of democratic principles in relations between Washington and Bogotá.
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The US lawmaker highlighted the longstanding relationship between the two countries, describing it as a partnership built on “two centuries of friendship and partnership,” with shared democratic values underpinning their alliance.
Meeks expressed concern that the Colombian president’s comments and actions could undermine the bipartisan goodwill that has supported US-Colombia relations for decades.
“I value the U.S.-Colombia alliance deeply, and I am concerned by any action that could erode the bipartisan support it has enjoyed for decades,” he said.
He further warned that the controversy could have diplomatic implications beyond political disagreements, arguing that a Colombian leader’s involvement in an American election could place the alliance’s bipartisan backing “in jeopardy.”
Reiterating his position, Meeks urged de la Espriella to reconsider his actions, stressing that foreign leaders should not influence the outcome of US congressional elections.
According to Spanish newspaper El País, de la Espriella endorsed Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar in a video published in October. In the video, he reportedly described Salazar as “the best friend of Colombia in the US Congress” and commended her support for the South American country.
Salazar, who represents a congressional district in Florida, is seeking a fourth term ahead of the November 3 US congressional elections.
