Trump endorses Colombian presidential candidate de la Espriella

June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President ‌Donald Trump ​on ​Tuesday endorsed Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer, who will face off ‌against leftist senator Ivan Cepeda in a runoff election ⁠this month.

"The results of this Election are very important to the ‌future of Colombia and its ‌relationship to the United States," Trump said in a post on social media.

De la Espriella and Cepeda will head ​to a June presidential runoff after a tight first-round vote. De la Espriella, who has never held elected ⁠office, garnered nearly 44% of the votes, while Cepeda, a long-time senator and ​activist, garnered under 41%.

De la Espriella's personal style and policy proposals - including tough rhetoric against illegal ​armed groups and the promise to ‌build 10 megaprisons - have drawn comparisons to El Salvador's Nayib Bukele.

"The United States plays a ⁠crucial role in combating crime and narco-terrorism and in finally freeing Colombia from so much pain and violence," De la Espriella said ⁠in a video interview shared on social media, adding that he and ​Trump "share values and principles in defense of democracy, in defense of freedom and in defense of the rule of law."

Leftist Colombian President ‌Gustavo Petro, who has had a tumultuous relationship with the American leader, criticized Trump's endorsement ‌of right-wing de la Espriella in a post on social ⁠media on Tuesday night.

"When one ‌country interferes in ​another country’s decisions, freedom dies," Petro said.

(Reporting by Christian Martinez and Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Thomas ‌Derpinghaus)

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