Abelardo de la Espriella, a millionaire lawyer campaigning as a tough-on-crime outsider, said relations with Washington would be “like never before” if he defeats leftist senator Ivan Cepeda in a June 21 runoff.

De la Espriella was the surprise winner of the first round of the presidential election on Sunday, held against the backdrop of a surge in drug-related guerrilla violence.

He garnered over 43% – compared to 41% for the favourite, Cepeda – with the law and order platform that has propelled right-wingers to power across Latin America.

The third-placed candidate, Paloma Valencia, a conservative, has thrown her support behind the right-wing showman, putting him in pole position to become the next president of one of Washington’s closest South American allies.

Writing on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump described the results of the election as “very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the US”.

Citing De la Espriella’s “tremendous accomplishments in life and his political support for me, personally”, Trump gave the self-styled Colombian “Tiger” his “Complete and Total Endorsement”.

Trump had a combustible relationship with outgoing left-wing President Gustavo Petro during his first year back in the White House.

The pair traded blows on social media over migration and Trump’s campaign of deadly strikes on suspected Latin American drug boats.

The Republican leader derided the outspoken Colombian as a “drug leader” and imposed sanctions on him, but the two patched up relations during a visit by Petro to the White House in February.

Cepeda has promised to continue Petro’s legacy of pursuing dialogue with armed groups, including drug traffickers, and reducing inequality.