Abelardo de la Espriella

De la Espriella was born in Bogotá, D.C., on July 31, 1978, to Abelardo de la Espriella Juris and María Eugenia Otero Aldana. His parents moved to Montería, Córdoba, when he was two years old. His father was a candidate for governor of Córdoba during the 1997 Colombian regional and municipal elections.^[8] He attended La Salle School. After graduating, he moved to Bogotá, D.C., to study law at Sergio Arboleda University.

De la Espriella worked at the Initiatives for Peace Foundation (FIPAZ), an organization that sought to promote a referendum to recognize the political rights of all armed actors during the Colombian conflict and to amend the Constitution to prohibit the extradition of Colombians,^[9] serving as an advisor to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia.^[2][10]

In 2012, De la Espriella represented Dania Londoño Suárez, a Colombian woman linked to the United States Secret Service prostitution scandal in Cartagena. According to an Associated Press report, he confirmed that his client had reached a pre-agreement with Playboy magazine and negotiated an interview with the American television network ABC. He stated that as a result of those agreements, she would not grant interviews to other news outlets and declined to disclose the financial terms involved.^[11]

From 2013 to 2019, De la Espriella served as legal counsel to Alex Saab, who was later indicted in the United States on charges including money laundering and alleged operation as a financial agent for the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro.^[12] Saab has publicly described De la Espriella as a close associate and legal advisor.^[13]

In May 2014, Venezuelan political strategist Juan José Rendón was reported to be scheduled to give a statement at the Colombian Consulate in Miami in connection with an investigation. According to La Prensa, he was to be accompanied by attorney Abelardo De La Espriella.^[14]

In 2026, the Inter American Press Association and the Colombian Foundation for Press Freedom raised concerns about potential judicial harassment by De la Espriella when, in response to a column discussing his ties to Saab, he announced possible legal actions against the author.^[15][16] Between 2008 and 2019, he was reportedly the complainant in 109 defamation and slander cases, many of which were dismissed. The Foundation for Press Freedom has described these cases as examples of judicial harassment.^[17]

De la Espriella has expressed admiration for far-right leaders.^[1] He is supportive of economic laissez-faire polices and the elimination of ministries.^[2][18] He also has supported the bombing of "narco-terrorist camps" and fumigation of coca plantations with the help of US aircraft, in addition to ending the peace processes with Colombian armed groups.^[19][20]

He advocates for the right to bear arms,^[21] withdrawing Colombia from international organizations such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations,^[22] and improving relations with Israel.^[23]