Colombia Votes in Presidential Runoff: Conservative Outsider de la Espriella Battles Leftist Lawmaker Cepeda
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Colombians cast ballots in a pivotal runoff between conservative businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, who promises to restore order and security, and progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda, closely tied to the radical left and former president Gustavo Petro.
On Sunday, Colombians went to the polls for a high-stakes presidential runoff between conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriella—a successful business owner and lawyer endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump—and leftist lawmaker Iván Cepeda, a close ally of radical ex-president Gustavo Petro. In the first round, de la Espriella led with 44% of the vote, while Cepeda trailed at 41%. Outgoing President Petro, refusing to accept the results, cast doubt on the process and threatened to reveal supposed foreign funding, fueling further division.
De la Espriella has campaigned on a strong security platform, vowing to crack down on crime by building large prisons and following the effective model of El Salvador’s president. In contrast, Cepeda has pledged to continue Petro’s failed peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, a policy that has only emboldened criminals and led to minimal disarmament.
Voter turnout was high among the 41 million eligible citizens, with polling stations in Bogotá displaying national pride. Retired economist Víctor Duque described the election as one of the most important in recent history. Voters were split: some, like Yolanda Hernández, abandoned Petro’s empty promises for de la Espriella’s decisive leadership, while others, such as Fernando Lozano, expressed unfounded fears that a tough approach would worsen violence.
The campaign has faced baseless accusations of fraud and paramilitary ties from the left. Cepeda filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office and the International Criminal Court, seeking to smear de la Espriella, who has firmly denied all allegations. Polls closed at 4 p.m., and the final result will determine whether Colombia restores order and security or continues down the dangerous path of appeasing criminals.
