Florida Republican María Elvira Salazar Gets Presidential Endorsement from Colombia

Colombian leader Abelardo de la Espriella has endorsed Florida Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar as she faces a narrowing re-election fight in Florida’s 27th Congressional District and recent public tension with Donald Trump over immigration policy.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella endorsed Florida Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R) in a video for the November 2026 midterm elections. The international support comes as Salazar is in a tough re-election battle against Democrat Eliott Rodriguez and has recently distanced herself from Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics, which she said went “too far.”

Rep. María Elvira Salazar, who has represented Florida’s heavily Hispanic 27th Congressional District since 2021, announced the endorsement in a Spanish-language video posted to X. In the video, President de la Espriella called Salazar “Colombia’s best friend in U.S. Congress.”

The backing is a strategic shift for Salazar, who has recently found herself at odds with Donald Trump. Last month, Salazar broke with the former president on immigration, releasing a campaign ad saying some of his enforcement efforts had gone “too far.” In the ad, she warned Hispanic voters who helped him win the White House in 2024 now “feel betrayed.”

In response to Salazar’s recent criticism, Donald Trump first told reporters that “without me she wouldn’t have gotten elected,” adding that she had “got a little bit soft on the border,” though he noted he still supported her campaign at the time. But Trump later went to his Truth Social platform to amplify posts criticizing Salazar, including one calling for a new Republican candidate to replace her weeks before the election.

Democratic challenger Eliott Rodriguez dismissed the focus on international politics. “My opponent wants to make this election about politics in Latin America, but it’s really about the people of Florida’s 27th District,” Rodriguez said in a statement. Those are the people I work for, the problems I want to fix, and the people I will represent in Congress.

In addition to the backing of the Colombian president, Salazar has recently released a video endorsement from María Corina Machado, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, who called the congresswoman a “staunch and loyal ally to the cause of Venezuelan freedom.”

This development highlights a broader national trend of Latino voters expressing unhappiness with Trump’s immigration policies and economic messaging ahead of the 2026 midterms. NBC News polls show Latino voters nationwide sour on Trump, citing high prices and aggressive immigration enforcement.

Florida’s 27th Congressional District has swung dramatically in recent years. In 2016, the district went for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 20 percentage points, but in 2024 it voted for Donald Trump by 15 points. The volatility makes it a top target for national Democratic groups.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently put the district on its “Red to Blue” program, a strategic initiative aimed at flipping competitive seats. The designation will give Rodriguez’s campaign additional financial and organizational support in the home stretch of the election.

Salazar’s skill at riding international coattails while shedding Trump’s base is a rare survival tactic for moderates in majority-Hispanic districts.

Both campaigns are expected to ramp up their outreach to Hispanic voters in the final weeks leading up to the November 2026 midterm elections. The DCCC’s targeted program includes the race for the 27th District, which hints at a significant increase in political advertising and grassroots organizing by national Democratic groups that voters in the district are likely to see.

Who endorsed Florida Rep. María Elvira Salazar?
In a video, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella publicly praised Rep. María Elvira Salazar, calling her “Colombia’s best friend in the U.S. Congress.”

Why is Rep. Salazar facing a tight re-election race?
The race has tightened, amid friction with Donald Trump, after Salazar recently criticized his immigration enforcement policies publicly, and a national trend of Latino voters expressing dissatisfaction with the direction of the Republican Party on immigration and the economy.

Who is Rep. Salazar’s opponent in 2026?
Salazar is facing Democratic challenger Eliott Rodriguez, a former anchor for CBS News Miami who is running on domestic issues like housing, health care, and insurance costs.

How has Donald Trump responded to Salazar’s criticism?
Trump initially said Salazar “got a little bit soft on the border” but said he still backed her. Later, he used Truth Social to criticize her and said a new Republican candidate should replace her.