On August 7, Colombia swore in its new president, the far-right firebrand and Trump-backed Abelardo de la Espriella, or “The Tiger” as he’s often called. The White House’s support during the campaign played a key role in de la Espriella’s June victory. But there was an added element to de la Espriella’s allure. He explains that for Colombians like himself living in the US with liminal legal status, the hope was that de la Espriella would act on their behalf as a bridge to the White House. On June 22, Colombian American Republican Senator Bernie Moreno (R – Oh) met with de la Espriella and posted a message soon after on the social media platform, X.