Right-wing lawyer and businessman Abelardo de la Espriella has emerged victorious in Colombia’s presidential runoff, defeating left-wing senator Iván Cepeda in one of the country’s closest elections in recent years.
With nearly all ballots counted, De la Espriella secured just under 50 percent of the vote, finishing about 250,000 votes ahead of Cepeda. The result signals a return to conservative leadership after four years under President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing head of state.
De la Espriella, a vocal supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, celebrated the victory as a turning point for Colombia. He said he had spoken with Trump shortly after the results were announced and pledged to strengthen relations with Washington.
The president-elect campaigned heavily on security issues, promising a tougher response to criminal organizations, expanded prison construction and increased military action against drug trafficking networks. His proposals stand in sharp contrast to Petro’s policy of negotiating with armed groups in an effort to reduce violence.
Petro and Cepeda stopped short of conceding defeat, raising concerns about alleged irregularities in the preliminary vote count and calling for the completion of the official scrutiny process before recognizing the outcome. Neither provided evidence to support claims of fraud.
The election comes amid growing concerns over violence and insecurity in Colombia, where armed groups and drug trafficking organizations continue to wield significant influence despite the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC guerrilla movement.
De la Espriella, who has never held elected office, is expected to take office on Aug. 7. He will inherit a deeply polarized nation and a Congress where his political allies do not hold a majority.
Political analysts say the result reflects a broader shift toward conservative and right-wing leadership across parts of Latin America, where security concerns, economic pressures and dissatisfaction with incumbent governments have become major issues for voters.