How is Abelardo De la Espriella financing his campaign and able to pay for the Movistar Arena? This is what the presidential hopeful explained: 'Nothing will stop us'

After presidential pre-candidate and lawyer Abelardo De la Espriella appeared at the Movistar Arena where, according to him, he gathered more than 15,000 people during the national convention of Defenders of the Homeland , the movement that supports him, doubts began to arise about how the aspirant to the Casa de Nariño had financed said space and where the money had come from.

In an interview with Blu Radio, Gustavo Petro, an opponent of the current president, acknowledged that he was able to finance the Movistar Arena thanks to his achievements throughout his career. "Unlike other candidacies, I don't have any owners. This is self-financed," the businessman explained.

"And I will record this in the campaign reports and submit the accounts to the National Electoral Council in due course ," De la Espriella stated.

The presidential hopeful stated that he personally financed the event at the Movistar Arena, where he gathered more than 15,000 attendees. The venue rental cost him approximately 280 to 300 million pesos, money which, according to his statements, came directly from his own funds.

The businessman was also emphatic in explaining that the products they are selling in their campaign "are being bought by people, that has helped a lot. This is a self-sustaining campaign. People buy sneakers, they buy clothes, wine, keychains, caps. A significant part of the campaign comes from there ."

"Tickets to enter the Movistar Arena were free, but we received a report that they were being resold outside, which shows how people are trying to make ends meet," the lawyer said.

Beyond that, something that marked De La Espriella's presentation was the moment the official broadcast went down on social media, sparking rumors of technical difficulties or possible sabotage. Regarding this, the businessman said that they appeared to have been hacked: "We were sabotaged. We are requesting an expert assessment from the company contracted for the satellite and mobile unit because it suddenly went offline."

The pre-candidate announced that the full content of his speech would be disseminated on his digital platforms. He reaffirmed his commitment to continue the campaign and concluded with a message of determination: "Nothing will stop us, and with God's help, we will pull this off."

Another point discussed in the interview with the aforementioned media outlet was the ideological stance of the National Salvation movement, which De la Espriella takes pains to describe as "a cause based on values" and not on conventional political ideologies.

According to him, he defends "foundational principles and values," such as family and private property. In this sense, the lawyer proposes a "counter-revolution" that seeks to "restore common sense" in the face of the supposed "ideological chaos" which, in his view, seeks to invert the concepts of good and evil.

A number of figures took to the stage. It began with Representative Miguel Polo Polo , who has been close to María Fernanda Cabal, but who has now decided to support De la Espriella.

The congressman made controversial statements, such as "the bombings will return in 2026," which drew criticism on social media.

Enrique Gómez, president of National Salvation, the party once led by Álvaro Gómez Hurtado , also spoke. He guaranteed De la Espriella's endorsement despite the fact that he has already collected almost three million signatures: "It seems there is darkness, friends, but Almighty God (...) shows us the way, redemption, to return the gleam of hope to our eyes," said Gómez, who is also De la Espriella's campaign manager.

Also present was Lina María Garrido, a representative of Cambio Radical, who went viral on social media on July 20th after a speech against President Gustavo Petro during the start of the legislative session in Congress.

Former Attorney General and former ambassador to France, Viviane Morales, appeared on stage to show her support for De la Espriella. On November 1st, she stated on her X account (formerly Twitter) that she was joining the “Defenders of the Homeland” movement because she is “convinced that the true changes Colombia needs can only come from leadership with character, faith, and love for the homeland.”

The event also featured video statements from figures on the global right, such as Argentine author and activist Agustín Laje and US Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar , of the Republican Party, who is close to President Donald Trump.

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