Colombia’s presidential election has advanced to a runoff, with a far-right candidate making significant gains. This development aligns with a broader right-wing trend in Latin American elections, according to preliminary official results.
The candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella, will face off against Iván Cepeda. Cepeda is a senator from the left-wing party of the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro.
De La Espriella’s popularity surged late in the campaign. He mirrors other populist leaders in Latin America, like Nayib Bukele of El Salvador. These leaders, with hard-line approaches to crime, have pledged to tackle drug trafficking aggressively.
With more than 99% of the votes counted, the national civil registry reported a nearly even split among the electorate. De La Espriella obtained 43.73% of the vote, while Cepeda received 40.91%. Neither candidate surpassed the 50% threshold, necessitating a runoff on June 21.
On Sunday night, President Petro questioned the preliminary results, refusing to accept them until an official vote count concludes.
Cepeda, known for his advocacy of human rights, has maintained the support base of Petro’s political agenda. This agenda aims to include poor and marginalized communities traditionally excluded from power. President Petro’s presidency was limited to a single term.