Colombia’s presidential election moved to a runoff after a far-right candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella, advanced. This development might indicate a further shift towards right-wing politics in Latin America. Preliminary results show that De La Espriella will face Iván Cepeda from the left-wing party of the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro.
De La Espriella emerged late in the campaign, aligning himself with other populist leaders in Latin America. He shares a hard-line approach to crime similar to El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and ex-U.S. President Trump, promising to tackle drug trafficking aggressively.
With over 99 percent of the votes counted, the national civil registry reported a divided electorate. De La Espriella secured 43.73 percent, while Cepeda gained 40.91 percent. No candidate achieved more than 50 percent, necessitating a runoff on June 21.
Amidst the election results, President Petro questioned the initial outcomes, stating he would wait for an official count before accepting them.
Cepeda, a seasoned human rights advocate, managed to uphold strong support for Petro’s political vision. This vision aims to empower marginalized communities within Colombia. Under the country’s constitution, Petro was limited to a single term in office.
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