On June 21, Colombia held the second round of its presidential election. Voters chose between two very different candidates: Abilardo de la Espriella, from the far-right political group “Defenders of the Homeland,” and Ivan Cepeda, from the left-wing ruling coalition “Historical Pact for Colombia.” The winner would become the country’s next president.
According to reports, preliminary results from Colombia’s National Civil Registry showed that with 99.91% of votes counted, de la Espriella won with 49.65% of the vote, while Cepeda trailed with 48.71%. This means that after four years of leftist rule, conservatives might be back in charge of Colombia’s government.
The margin was incredibly tight—fewer than 250,000 votes separated the two candidates. De la Espriella won by less than one percentage point. President Gustavo Petro said that because the gap was so narrow, it was too early to declare a winner. He stated he would respect the final decision from the judiciary.
Cepeda also noted that the preliminary count was not legally binding and said he would wait for the official results. “Our network of poll watchers has tens of thousands of members, who are working with lawyers to review 33,000 polling stations across the country,” he said.
Colombia’s electoral system uses a “dual-track” process. After election day, a technical service provider hired by the National Civil Registry does a preliminary count, but this doesn’t have legal force. Then, judges and election officials lead a formal review and recount, which is the legally binding final result.
Despite the uncertainty, de la Espriella declared victory and urged his supporters to defend the outcome. “We thank God for this miracle in such a complex situation,” he told his followers. “We defeated the ruling party. This is an epic feat, only possible with God’s grace.” He claimed the election would “change the course of Colombian history.”
During his campaign, de la Espriella visited Florida and received public support from President Donald Trump and several US Republican lawmakers. After the preliminary results came out, de la Espriella said he had gotten a call from Trump: “I just spoke with President Donald Trump. He expressed his support and recognition of our victory.”
Abilardo de la Espriella (Photo: IC photo)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also congratulated de la Espriella on social media. “The Trump administration looks forward to working closely with the incoming government,” he wrote. “We aim to advance regional security cooperation, stop illegal immigration to the US, and strengthen our economic ties. Better days are ahead for Colombia.”
De la Espriella, 47, holds both Colombian and US citizenship. He has never held an elected office. Instead of relying on a major party’s support, he collected signatures from Colombian citizens to qualify for the ballot. Before entering politics, he worked as a criminal defense lawyer and even released a cover album as a singer.
He has also started several businesses, including a piano bar and a luxury goods company, and invested in a rum brand. During his campaign, he sold limited-edition, expensive watches to donors.
De la Espriella openly praises Trump’s policies. He advocates a “iron fist” approach to fighting crime and corruption and promises to build a mega-prison to lock up criminal gang leaders. On the economy, he pushes for free-market policies, including shrinking the government, cutting taxes, and increasing resource extraction as ways to restore order and boost growth.
He has made “culture war” a key part of his platform, positioning himself as a defender of “traditional family values.” He is firmly against abortion and what he calls “gender ideology.” On foreign policy, this right-wing candidate emphasizes his connection to the Trump administration. He says he is confident about restoring Colombia’s diplomatic ties with the US to jointly tackle security crises.
According to reports, de la Espriella’s campaign is all about “creating spectacles.” He records music, promotes his rum brand, and uses AI-generated content to engage with supporters on social media. He often wears a soccer jersey and a straw hat, shouting anti-government slogans and vowing to “destroy the left in Colombia.”
In contrast, Cepeda, the ruling coalition’s candidate, largely supports the path set by current President Petro. He wants to keep some of Petro’s social policies but seeks a change in security strategy. He believes Colombia faces huge challenges and that negotiations with armed groups must produce “clear results.”
Cepeda’s campaign focused on reducing inequality, deepening land reform, and fighting corruption. He also criticized US drug policy and opposed US military intervention in Latin America. This, analysts say, shows his skepticism towards Washington’s regional security agenda.
Political analyst Miguel Lujan said de la Espriella’s strong performance is one reason he leads in the polls. “He has a great talent for showmanship,” Lujan noted.
If the final count confirms de la Espriella’s win, Colombia will get a conservative government again after four years of leftist rule. Security analyst Luis Villamarin thinks that President Petro’s “Total Peace” policy, launched in 2022 to end long-running armed conflicts, failed to deliver the security benefits voters were hoping for.
“The ‘Total Peace’ policy has lacked results, and that directly hurt the ruling coalition’s campaign,” Villamarin said. “We didn’t see less war; we saw just as much war, only with more groups involved.”
The New York Times reported that many Colombian voters were unwilling to keep supporting the ruling coalition because security hadn’t improved. Carlos Morales, a waiter in Barranquilla, said, “The left asked for a chance, but we didn’t see a good opportunity.”
Although de la Espriella lacks political experience, his choice of former Finance Minister Jose Manuel Restrepo as his running mate boosted his credibility. Bryan Emmanuel Ariza, a student from Bogota, said, “That gives him more credibility. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gotten this many votes.”
Colombia’s president serves a single four-year term, elected by popular vote. The new president elected in the second round will be sworn in on August 7.
