Pro-Trump candidate to face Petro ally in Colombia presidential runoff election after surprising performance

By Alessandra Freitas, Gonzalo Zegarra, Sebastian Jimenez, CNN

(CNN) — In a surprisingly strong performance, right-wing outsider candidate Abelardo de la Espriella will face leftist candidate senator Iván Cepeda in a runoff to decide Colombia’s presidency, setting the stage for a battle over the country’s political future and the direction of its relationships with key international partners, including the United States.

With more than 99% of the votes counted de la Espriella won the most ballots with 43.73% of the vote, falling short of the absolute majority required to win outright in the first round. Cepeda, representing the left-wing Historic Pact coalition, was in second place with 40.91%. The first-round vote left Democratic Center candidate Paloma Valencia trailing well behind with 6.92%, according to preliminary results released by the National Civil Registry. The 46-year-old represented the Democratic Center party founded by former President Álvaro Uribe and became the first woman to win the party’s presidential nomination. Shortly after the results, La candidata del Centro Democrático, Paloma Valencia, anunció su apoyo al ultraderechista Abelardo de la Espriella para la segunda vuelta, luego de haber alcanzado menos del 7 % de los votos en las elecciones presidenciales, con el objetivo de vencer al oficialista Iván Cepeda.

“Anuncio mi apoyo al doctor Abelardo de la Espriella e invito a que derrotemos a Cepeda, a que el neocomunismo que impera en este país no continúe”, dijo Valencia en su primer mensaje tras la divulgación de resultados preliminares.

La aspirante uribista también instó a la población a estar “firmes al lado de las ideas de la libertad, del progreso, de la iniciativa privada y por supuesto del cuidado de los más pobres”.

The runoff, scheduled for June 21, will pit two sharply contrasting political visions against each other in what is expected to be a highly polarized race.

Who are the candidates heading to the runoff

Abelardo de la Espriella, 47, is a lawyer and political outsider who emerged as one of the strongest challengers to the governing coalition, has spoken favorably of US President Donald Trump and has drawn comparisons from supporters and critics alike to leaders such as El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele because of his tough-on-crime rhetoric.

Running on a platform centered on security, law and order, and economic liberalization, the self-described conservative nationalist has promised a more confrontational approach toward criminal organizations, stronger security ties with the United States and Israel, lower taxes, and expanded oil exploration. He has also pledged to reverse what he describes as the failures of Petro’s administration.

Following the results, de la Espriella celebrated the better-than-expected results and expressed confidence ahead of the runoff, where he will face government-backed candidate Iván Cepeda.

“We advanced to the runoff thanks to the more than 10 million Colombians who answered the roar. In 21 days, we will make history!” de la Espriella said on X, adding that he would defeat “tyranny and absolutism.”

The lawyer and businessman also posted a video with his family and invited supporters at his campaign HQ in Barranquilla to celebrate the result.

Senator Iván Cepeda, 63, entered the race as the standard-bearer of Petro’s governing coalition, the Historic Pact. A longtime left-wing politician and human rights advocate, Cepeda campaigned on continuing many of Petro’s policies, including the government’s “total peace” strategy aimed at negotiating with armed groups.

The son of assassinated politician Manuel Cepeda Vargas, he spent years in human rights activism and served as a key participant in peace negotiations involving guerrilla groups.

His campaign focused on social inclusion, human rights, agrarian reform and what he describes as a “democratic revolution” to deepen the changes initiated under Petro.

Cepeda has framed the election as a choice between preserving progressive reforms and returning to traditional political models.

A referendum on the Petro era

The election is widely viewed as a verdict on the turbulent presidency of Gustavo Petro, who came to power in 2022, and on the future direction of Colombia’s political and economic model.

Supporters of the government argue that Petro’s administration expanded social protections and advanced reforms despite institutional resistance. Critics contend that the government failed to deliver on key promises, particularly in healthcare and security, while economic growth remained sluggish.

The campaign has also unfolded amid heightened concerns about political violence and armed conflict, making security one of the most prominent issues for voters. Although the country saw a break in violence between rebel groups and the government in the 10 years since the historic agreement between guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the government, criminal gang activity is rising.

Presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot at a campaign rally in June and remained hospitalized for weeks after undergoing multiple surgeries. He died of his injuries on August 11.

Petro’s flagship “total peace” policy — a strategy of negotiating ceasefires simultaneously with multiple guerrilla factions and criminal organizations — drew the sharpest lines of the campaign. Supporters argued it was a necessary, if imperfect, effort to end decades of armed conflict; opponents said it empowered illegal actors and made Colombia less safe.

The outcome will determine not only Colombia’s domestic agenda but also its relationship with the United States and neighboring Venezuela, both of which became recurring themes throughout the campaign.

Why this election matters

The election could shape Colombia’s relationship with the United States, one of its closest security and economic partners. Petro’s relationship with and Trump was often tense, particularly over migration, counternarcotics policies and regional diplomacy, though the two governments moved to stabilize ties in recent months.

Petro publicly clashed with Trump over deportation flights early in 2025, briefly triggering the threat of sweeping tariffs before a rapid deescalation. The episode rattled markets and underscored how exposed Colombia remains to shifts in US policy, particularly on trade and counter-narcotics funding.

Petro then visited the White House in February 2026 and agreed to significant concessions on drug interdiction and cooperation against criminal networks.

The drug trade remains the central axis of the bilateral relationship. Colombia is still the world’s largest producer of cocaine, and US counter-narcotics pressure will likely weigh heavily on the new leader, regardless of political party. Trump, who has intervened openly in other Latin American electoral contests, has not yet publicly given an opinion on the Colombian election race.

The leading candidates have offered different visions for the relationship. Cepeda has advocated for a more independent foreign policy and greater Latin American integration, while right-wing candidates Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia have argued for closer alignment with Washington on security and economic issues.

The outcome of next month’s runoff is likely to be closely watched in Washington given Colombia’s strategic role in efforts to combat drug trafficking and manage migration flows across the hemisphere.

This is a developing story and has been updated.

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