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Exiled Muslim scholar warns far-left–Islamist alliance behind anti-Israel protests echoes Iran’s rise

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A Muslim scholar who was forced to flee Egypt after criticizing Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks is warning America’s far left that its alliance with Islamist extremism could end the same way Iran’s did in 1979 — with an Islamic regime seizing power after partnering with leftist factions.

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Dalia Ziada, a Middle East scholar and Washington, D.C.-based coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, later relocated to the United States and said she is now seeing similar and troubling dynamics take shape here.

Her warning comes as a global network of anti-Israel activist groups is mobilizing coordinated «Nakba 78» protests across the United States and around the world this weekend, with organizers using the anniversary of Israel’s founding to stage demonstrations that critics say challenge the Jewish state’s legitimacy, and, in some cases, call for its dismantling

«For five or seven years now, we have been seeing some kind of a ‘sinful marriage’ between the radical left and the radical Islamism, the groups that hate Western liberal democracies and desire to destroy them,» she told Fox News Digital.

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SCATHING REPORT CALLS ON US TO LABEL ISLAMIST GROUP INFILTRATING ALL ASPECTS OF AMERICAN LIFE AS TERRORIST ORG

Left: Protesters gather in Tehran in February 1979 during the Iranian Revolution, carrying banners calling for an Islamic Republic. Right: Dalia Ziada, a Middle East scholar and Washington, D.C.-based coordinator at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, speaks during an interview. (Gabriel Duval/AFP via Getty Images; Provided by Dalia Ziada)

Ziada said Islamist movements, including groups tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, have for years sought to use the Palestinian cause as a way to mobilize support and build alliances with other activist movements in the West, a phenomenon some analysts have described as a «red–green alliance.

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She also argued that Islamist movements have increasingly targeted Jewish communities in the West, which she described as a «pillar» supporting liberal democratic systems.

«They agree on one thing, that they need to destroy the West as we know it today and replace it with something else. For the radicalists, they want to replace it with the Marxist system. For the Islamists, they want to replace it with an Islamist system, which they think is the ideal system,» she said.

Global protest network

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A Fox News Digital investigation found that approximately 425 organizations — including communist groups, Muslim advocacy organizations and anti-Israel activist coalitions — are operating within a coordinated transnational protest network with a combined funding footprint of roughly $1 billion in annual revenues.

The groups have organized an estimated 736 events across 39 countries this weekend.

Ziada said the alliance reflects what she described as a shared hostility toward Western liberal democracies and has intensified in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

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She argued the war in Gaza has provided what she described as a «moral umbrella» for the movement.

«They used that to give themselves some moral legitimacy to go on and accelerate the process of destroying the West,» she said.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting outside Columbia University in New York City

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest outside Columbia University in New York City on Feb. 2, 2024. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/VIEWpress)

Lessons from Iran

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Ziada pointed to the 1979 Iranian Revolution as a cautionary example.

«We saw this exactly happening in Iran in the 1970s. The Islamists used the left because the legitimacy of the left is stronger, because they don’t come from a religious background,» she said. «They allied the communists there, made them believe that we all are going to change Iran and make it a better place. And how it ended in 1979, the Islamic Revolution happened. The Islamists took over the country and the first group they sacrificed … was the communists, the leftists in Iran.»

Ziada warned that similar dynamics could emerge in the United States if ideological alliances continue to deepen, arguing that movements built around shared opposition can fracture once power shifts.

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She said that while the groups involved may appear aligned in the short term, their long-term goals are fundamentally incompatible — a pattern she said has played out repeatedly in the Middle East.

She said such alliances are often temporary, warning that once power is secured, more extreme factions tend to dominate.

Split image showing Americans held hostage during 1979 Tehran embassy seizure and modern-day protests in Iran

A split image shows Americans held hostage during the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran alongside modern-day protests in Iran. (Bettmann/Getty Images; Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

ASRA NOMANI: I WATCHED HATE CONSUME DEMOCRATS’ ‘NON-VIOLENT’ #NOKINGS RALLIES

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She said the protests themselves are expected to follow a familiar pattern of anti-Israel demonstrations that she described as «very well organized worldwide.»

«I don’t think this time it would be any different in the general sense of demonizing Israel, trying to blame Israel for everything,» she said.

Ziada said protesters are likely to frame Israel using terms such as «apartheid» and «genocide,» language she argued points to a broader, coordinated alignment of groups operating with similar messaging and goals.

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Ziada said the term «Nakba,» meaning «catastrophe,» has been reframed over time, arguing it was originally used in part to criticize Arab leaders for rejecting a proposed Palestinian state — a context she said is largely absent from modern protests.

«I wouldn’t say it’s kind of a bureau… but they all agree on one thing, which is destroying the United States or weakening the Western world,» she said.

A demonstrator holding a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a rally in Tehran

A demonstrator holds a picture of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in Tehran on June 14, 2025, showing solidarity with the government against Israel’s attacks and marking Eid al-Ghadir. (Atta Kenare/AFP)

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Ziada said she has already seen the consequences of such alliances firsthand in the Middle East.

«I have seen my native Egypt being destroyed by these groups, by these people, and I’ve seen the entire Middle East actually falling under this. And I don’t want to see the United States, the country that has given me my education, has given my career, has given me a refuge when these radicals tried to kill me — I don’t want to see being destroyed by the same bad guys.»

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iran, middle east, anti semitism, islam, israel, hamas, us protests, wars

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Motociclistas encabezan tragedia vial en Honduras: suman más de 700 muertos en lo que va del 2026

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La DNVT reporta más de 5,900 percances registrados en las carreteras hondureñas. (Foto: Archivo)

La crisis vial en Honduras continúa dejando cifras alarmantes. La Dirección Nacional de Vialidad y Transporte (DNVT) informó que, en lo que va del año 2026, un total de 701 personas han fallecido en siniestros viales registrados a nivel nacional, una problemática que sigue cobrando vidas diariamente en las carreteras del país.

El portavoz de la DNVT, César Aguilar, detalló que el 46.7 por ciento de las víctimas mortales corresponde a motociclistas, lo que confirma que este tipo de vehículo continúa siendo uno de los más vulnerables y protagonistas en los accidentes de tránsito.

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De acuerdo con las estadísticas oficiales, más de 5,900 percances viales han sido reportados durante los primeros meses del año. Además, las autoridades señalaron que siete de cada diez incidentes atendidos involucran motocicletas, situación que mantiene en alerta a los organismos de seguridad vial y salud pública.

“Lamentablemente una gran cantidad pierde la vida y una gran cantidad queda con lesiones bastante graves en los distintos centros asistenciales”, expresó Aguilar al referirse al impacto humano que provocan los accidentes de tránsito en Honduras.

La DNVT atribuye gran parte de esta problemática a la irresponsabilidad de algunos conductores que continúan infringiendo la Ley de Tránsito.

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La falta de educación vial preocupa a la Dirección Nacional de Vialidad y Transporte. (Foto: Archivo)
La falta de educación vial preocupa a la Dirección Nacional de Vialidad y Transporte. (Foto: Archivo)

Entre las principales causas identificadas destacan el exceso de velocidad, la conducción bajo efectos del alcohol, el uso del teléfono celular mientras se maneja y el irrespeto a las señales de tránsito.

El portavoz explicó que muchos conductores realizan maniobras indebidas, como adelantamientos en zonas prohibidas, además de ignorar altos y semáforos, acciones que incrementan considerablemente el riesgo de colisiones y atropellamientos.

“Al ver estos datos estadísticos, podríamos concluir que la ciudadanía sigue conduciendo de manera irresponsable, a exceso de velocidad, personas que no respetan las señales de tránsito, se cruzan un alto, no respetan los semáforos, personas que van conduciendo bajo las ingestas de bebidas alcohólicas, van utilizando el teléfono celular, van realizando adelantamientos en zonas prohibidas; estas son de las principales causantes de accidentes de tránsito”, desglosó Aguilar.

Otro de los factores que preocupa a las autoridades es la falta de educación vial entre los conductores.

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Según registros de la DNVT, una considerable cantidad de personas involucradas en accidentes nunca obtuvo un permiso de conducir mediante los centros oficiales de capacitación y evaluación.

El exceso de velocidad continúa siendo una de las principales causas de accidentes. (Foto: Archivo)
El exceso de velocidad continúa siendo una de las principales causas de accidentes. (Foto: Archivo)

La institución considera que esta carencia de formación influye directamente en el desconocimiento de normas básicas de circulación y prevención vial.

En muchos casos, conductores sin experiencia ni preparación adecuada se desplazan en motocicletas o vehículos particulares sin medir los riesgos que representan para ellos y para otros usuarios de la vía pública.

Ante este panorama, la DNVT mantiene operativos permanentes en diferentes puntos del país con el objetivo de reducir la incidencia de accidentes y hacer cumplir la Ley de Tránsito.

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Las autoridades reportaron que diariamente son sancionados más de 800 conductores por distintas infracciones.

Las multas más frecuentes están relacionadas con conducir sin licencia, no portar casco protector, exceso de velocidad, estacionarse en lugares prohibidos y utilizar dispositivos móviles mientras se conduce.

Siete de cada diez accidentes atendidos por autoridades involucran motocicletas. (Foto: Archivo)
Siete de cada diez accidentes atendidos por autoridades involucran motocicletas. (Foto: Archivo)

Aguilar insistió en que muchos de los accidentes podrían evitarse si los conductores adoptaran medidas preventivas básicas, como mantener una distancia prudente entre vehículos, respetar los límites de velocidad y evitar maniobras peligrosas.

Asimismo, exhortó a los motociclistas a utilizar equipo de protección adecuado y a respetar las normas de circulación, ya que este grupo continúa siendo el más afectado por la siniestralidad vial en Honduras.

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La creciente cantidad de fallecidos y lesionados mantiene bajo presión a los centros asistenciales del país, donde decenas de personas ingresan diariamente con heridas graves producto de accidentes de tránsito.

Las autoridades reiteraron el llamado a la conciencia ciudadana para evitar que las cifras sigan aumentando durante el resto del año.



corresponsal:Desde Tegucigalpa, Honduras

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UK defense shortfalls highlighted as Britain avoids Iran offensive role amid Trump criticism

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LONDON: The United Kingdom announced Tuesday it will be deploying military assets «as part of a future defensive mission to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.»

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While the move can be seen as a positive step in repairing relations with the U.S., Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s reluctance to join the U.S. in «Operation Epic Fury» against Iran has still ruffled feathers in Washington — most notably those of President Donald Trump.

Trump has dismissed Starmer as «no Churchill.» In a recent interview with Sky News, the president further complained about the lack of British alignment: «When we asked them for help, they were not there. When we needed them, they were not there… And they still aren’t there.»

TRUMP SLAMS STARMER AS ‘NOT WINSTON CHURCHILL’ FOR REFUSAL TO BACK IRAN STRIKES

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British soldiers take part in the Swift Response 22 military exercise at the Krivolak Military Training Center in Negotino, North Macedonia, on May 12, 2022. The exercise involved approximately 4,600 soldiers from North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Greece, Italy, France, the UK and the US to demonstrate NATO forces’ ability to deploy globally and cooperate fully. (Robert Atanasovski/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump also took aim at the British Navy’s readiness in March, ridiculing the fleet during a White House meeting. 

«We had the U.K. say that, ‘We’ll send’— this is three weeks ago — ‘we’ll send our aircraft carriers,’ which aren’t the best aircraft carriers, by the way,» Trump said, according to Sky News. «They’re toys compared to what we have.»

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Two recent reports by a leading military expert and a parliamentary committee may, in part, explain why the U.K. didn’t join the war in an offensive measure.

In a report titled, «Iran War Delivers a Tough Lesson in Hard Power to the U.K.,» Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), wrote, «The outbreak of a new war in the Middle East has led to questions about the U.K.’s relevance in international affairs. Alongside debates about legality and politics, there are some hard truths about military power and the reality of the readiness of the U.K.’s armed forces.»

UK MILITARY

FILE: Soldiers in action as the British Army demonstrate the latest and future technology used on operations across the globe on Salisbury plain training area on October 29, 2019 in Salisbury, England.  (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

While the report was written with the war still raging on, Savill stated, «Pressure is growing for the deployment of more U.K. forces to the region and direct involvement in strikes, but the government will need to answer difficult questions about prioritization and the effect that it might be trying to achieve. The consequence is that as much as intent and policy drive U.K. involvement, the practical realities will constrain what the U.K. can do.»

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Savill added, «On the defensive side, the U.K. has not been idle… [U.K. assets] which also appear to have included some counter-drone units – have been involved in downing Iranian drones while defending Jordan and Iraq.»

UK DEPLOYING WARSHIP, HELICOPTERS TO CYPRUS AFTER DRONE STRIKE

U.S. President Donald Trump delivering remarks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer applauding

President Donald Trump delivers remarks as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer applaud following the signing of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Savill wrote that «The challenge for the U.K. is that in the past few years, the commitments and visible presence of U.K. Armed Forces in the region have been shrinking, as a result of the pressure on the military, and a conscious decision to prioritize elsewhere, most recently in the ‘NATO First’ approach of the Strategic Defense Review of 2025

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While the Starmer government has committed to increasing defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, experts warn that this investment may be too late to restore the U.K.’s ability to project power globally in the near term.

John Hemmings, director of the National Security Center at Henry Jackson, told Fox News, «The U.K.’s military capabilities have been systematically underfunded over the past 15 years, with the Spending Review and cuts starting in 2009 and 2010 under Prime Minister David Cameron. The Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR) at the time stated that the world was headed in a much more dangerous state, but the fiscal devastation of the 2008 Financial Crisis pushed the Government into a series of cuts that were intended to be short-term. Instead, the Cameron Government sent the U.K.’s armed services into a spiral of terminal decline that has lasted until this day,» he said.

TRUMP PRAISED FOR GETTING NATO ALLIES TO BOLSTER DEFENSE SPENDING: ‘REALLY STAGGERING’

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The Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon moored in the Royal Navy Dockyard in Portsmouth, England

The Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is moored in the Royal Navy Dockyard in Portsmouth, England, on Oct. 28, 2024. Britain announced on May 12, 2026 that it will deploy autonomous mine hunting equipment, counter drone systems, along with Typhoon jets and HMS Dragon as part of a future defensive mission to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.  (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Hemmings added, «Consider the Royal Navy, the U.K.’s premier service and source of great power reach; only 25 out of 63 commissioned vessels are actual fighting ships. This force size is impossible to service Britain’s overseas responsibilities and has seen cuts of 50% in only 30 years. In 1996, there were 22 frigates, 17 submarines, 15 destroyers, and 3 aircraft carriers. Today’s First Sea Lord must attempt to carry out the same duties with seven frigates, 10 submarines, six destroyers, two aircraft carriers. In addition, the U.K. underfunded new capabilities like domestic air and missile defenses and advanced command and control systems.»

A U.S. Navy ship launching Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles at sea

A U.S. Navy ship launches Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in support of Operation Epic Fury. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs)

A second report released last month, by the House of Lords International Relations and Defense Committee titled: ‘Adjusting to new realities: rebalancing the U.K.-U.S. partnership,’ presents several key recommendations where it warned of the over-dependence on the U.S. «Although the U.K. has benefited from closely collaborating with the U.S. on defense, this has fostered a dependency culture leading to a decline in U.K. capabilities and loss of U.K. credibility in Washington. The Government should provide a clear and costed pathway to achieving the commitment to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.»

While the Ministry of Defense did not respond to several requests for comment over the state of forces, Fox News Digital recently reported that the U.K. government said it is reversing an attrition rate in the military, stating that total armed forces strength stood at 182,050 personnel as of Jan. 1, 2026, including 136,960 regular troops, an increase from the previous year.

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The government has also pledged what it calls the largest sustained rise in defense spending since the Cold War, with military spending set to reach 2.6% of GDP by 2027, backed by an additional £5 billion (approximately $6.6 billion) this financial year and £270 billion (nearly $360 billion) in defense investment over the course of the current parliament. Britain has also said it aims to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP by the end of the next parliament.

Analysts say while some in the Trump administration see the U.K.’s absence as a betrayal of the special relationship, others may say it is a tough lesson in the limitations of a mid-sized power that has tried to maintain a global footprint on a shrinking budget.

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united kingdom, war with iran, nato, spending, military, donald trump

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Elecciones en Colombia: Abelardo De la Espriella, el candidato «macho» que admira a Javier Milei y genera repudios con su campaña provocadora

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«Con esa foto me gané unos votos muy bacanos (buenos) del electorado femenino», aseguró Abelardo de la Espriella, el candidato de ultraderecha a la presidencia de Colombia, en una entrevista reciente en la que pidió a una periodista que le dieran zoom a una imagen suya en un móvil con la intención de que le exaltara el tamaño de sus genitales.

Esa, efectivamente, fue una lógica recurrente durante su campaña presidencial, en la que sostiene que él sí tiene «los cojones» para gobernar al país.

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«¿Qué ves aquí? Amor, acércala ¿Qué más ves?», insistió De la Espriella, a la periodista Laura Rodríguez, del programa de radio Piso 8, con la pretensión de que ella se refiriera al tamaño de su miembro viril, en una entrevista con cierto tono jocoso en la que los temas de la política quedaron en segundo plano.


«Fue un irrespeto total hacia mí y hacia mi trabajo. Me sentí vulnerada, acosada y asqueada», aseguró Rodríguez sobre ese momento, que se volvió viral en redes sociales.

El escándalo sacudió esta semana la aburrida y plana campaña para las elecciones presidenciales de Colombia, el próximo 31 de mayo.

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Disculpas


Las cosas no le salieron bien a De la Espriella y su fotografía, de manera que se tuvo que guardar las referencias a sus partes íntimas y emitir, en cambio, un mensaje en redes sociales ante la presión social, en el que le ofreció disculpas a la periodista.


En su declaración, sostuvo que «aunque no haya existido intención de mi parte de ofender y mucho menos de irrespetar, si una mujer se siente incómoda, un caballero tiene la obligación moral de ofrecer disculpas».

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Lo del tamaño del pene ocurrió la misma semana en que de la Espriella le respondió a una de las periodista más respetadas de la televisión local, María Lucía Fernández, que la «ignorancia es atrevida», cuando ella le preguntó sobre su trabajo como abogado de personajes como el colombo-venezolano Alex Saab, detenido por Estados Unidos y liberado luego por el gobierno de Joe Biden, y también señalado de actos de corrupción en el mandato de Nicolás Maduro.

En los tiempos del «Me too» y el feminismo, De la Espriella obedece a otra lógica, la del macho que habla con doble sentido, hace referencias al físico de las mujeres o les dice qué «lugar» deben ocupar sin ruborizarse, alegando que es su forma de ser como hombre del «Caribe».

Los presidentes de Argentina, Javier Milei, y de El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, admirados por Abelardo  De La Espriella. Foto: AP

La agresiva campaña del «macho alfa»

De la Espriella es el candidato «outsider» en la contienda electoral, que se vende como el «macho alfa» de la manada y el único con el carácter y «los cojones» para resolver los «problemas» del país, siempre acudiendo al lenguaje machista y equiparándose con «El tigre» como alter ego, que une a un saludo militar teatral y la frase «­Firmes con la patria!».

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El candidato, el segundo en las encuestas, a unos 10 puntos en promedio del favorito, el izquierdista Iván Cepeda, dijo admirar al presidente de El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, en particular por el tema de las cárceles de máxima seguridad, y también al argentino Javier Milei, por su afamada «motosierra» económica.


De la Espriella prometió durante la campaña «destripar» a la izquierda, a la que considera «una plaga» si gana la presidencia.

En ese sentido, calificó al jefe de Estado, Gustavo Petro, de ser «jefe de la mafia», prometió darle «plomo (bala, NDR)» a los delincuentes y aseguró que les mostrará a los indígenas que protesten en su eventual mandato de qué tamaño es la mordida de «El tigre».

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Magnate

De la Espriella es un hombre millonario, con avión privado, propiedades en Estados Unidos e Italia, que forjó su fortuna como abogado y dueño de un exitoso estudio que cobra grandes sumas de dinero por su labor.

En un artículo de enero de este año, el portal periodístico La Silla Vacía, reveló que su «universo empresarial», compuesto por unas 35 empresas, no es rentable salvo su estudio de abogados y un par más de compañías que no dieron pérdidas. Desde la campaña del candidato desestimaron esa versión y acusaron al portal web de ser financiado por George Soros y un conglomerado empresarial local que supuestamente apoyaba a otro aspirante.

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La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (Flip) sostiene que De la Espriella acudió al sistema judicial para intentar contrarrestar el papel del periodismo, con 109 denuncias por injuria y calumnia contra periodistas entre 2008 y 2019, que no suelen llegar a resolución, pero que desgastan a los señalados.


De llegar a la Presidencia, el candidato ultraderechista, que nunca ocupó un cargo de elección popular, propone «reconstruir» el país a fuerza de una política de seguridad que promete arrasar con más de 300 mil hectáreas de cultivos ilícitos.


También pretende lograr crecimiento económico a fuerza de reducir el Estado a una cuarta parte de su tamaño e incentivar la inversión con menos impuestos, entre otras propuestas.

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