Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella defeated left-wing senator Iván Cepeda on Sunday, a victory that continues a wave of right-wing candidates winning across South America.
With nearly all ballots counted, de la Espriella received 49.66 percent of the vote (approximately 12.96 million votes), while Cepeda obtained 48.70 percent (approximately 12.71 million votes). The margin was under 251,000 votes, reflecting a razor close race.
De la Espriella became the most-voted presidential candidate in Colombian history. The election followed a first round on May 31, 2026, in which de la Espriella secured about 43.7 percent and Cepeda about 40.9 percent. No candidate reached the 50 percent threshold required to win outright, triggering the runoff between the top two finishers.
Abelardo de la Espriella, a lawyer and businessman without prior elected political experience, ran as an independent under the Defenders of the Homeland banner. His platform emphasized law-and-order measures, including the construction of mega-prisons modeled on policies in El Salvador, military operations against drug trafficking organizations, and aerial fumigation of coca crops.
He advocated fiscal austerity, policies favorable to investors, and conservative social positions. De la Espriella holds U.S. and Italian citizenship and received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump. His running mate was economist José Manuel Restrepo, a former finance minister.
Iván Cepeda, a senator aligned with the Historic Pact coalition of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, positioned himself as a continuation of progressive reforms. He focused on negotiations with armed groups, social programs, and institutional changes.
The runoff highlighted deep polarization, with voters expressing concerns about rising crime, economic challenges, and security issues during Petro’s term.
Right Wing Abelardo de la Espriella wins the Colombia’s presidential election.
(Abelardo de la Espriella was publicly endorsed by Trump) pic.twitter.com/vnbxVkMKIl
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) June 21, 2026
The outcome marks a shift from the left-wing government of Gustavo Petro, who took office in 2022 as Colombia’s first leftist president and was constitutionally barred from seeking re-election. Throughout his tumultuous term, he frequently clashed with the Trump Administration and expressed support for Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro prior to his capture earlier this year.
Points of contention included drug interdiction cooperation, coca cultivation levels in Colombia, U.S. deportation policies affecting Colombians, and Trump’s endorsement of de la Espriella in the 2026 campaign. Petro described the endorsement as external interference in Colombia’s internal affairs.
Petro joined the 19th of April Movement (M-19), an urban guerrilla organization, at age 17 in the late 1970s. M-19 had Marxist influences and engaged in armed actions before demobilizing through peace negotiations in 1990.
The outgoing president has repeatedly cast doubt on the election results following both the first round and Sunday’s runoff. He has gone so far as to explicitly blame “Israeli meddling” for his party’s defeat.
