Far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, endorsed by US President Donald Trump, has won Colombia's presidential runoff election on Sunday, June 22, 2026, defeating left-wing candidate Ivan Cepeda by less than one percentage point. Preliminary results show de la Espriella secured 49.65 percent of the vote against 48.70 percent for Cepeda, making it one of the tightest presidential races in Colombian history.
With 12.9 million votes cast in his favor, de la Espriella became the most voted presidential candidate in Colombian history, surpassing all previous records. The 47-year-old lawyer, who has never held elected office, qualified for the presidential ballot through citizen signatures rather than the backing of a major political party, a remarkable achievement that underscores the depth of anti-establishment sentiment in the country.
De la Espriella ran on an aggressive culture war platform, casting himself as a defender of the traditional family and conservative values. He publicly opposed abortion, adoption by same-sex couples, and what he described as gender ideology infiltrating Colombian institutions. His campaign rallies drew massive crowds in rural and suburban areas, where his message of restoring traditional order resonated deeply with voters disillusioned by the progressive agenda of outgoing President Gustavo Petro.
His opponent Ivan Cepeda centered his campaign on fighting inequality, deepening agrarian reform, and tackling corruption that he argued had hollowed out Colombian institutions. Cepeda, a veteran senator and human rights advocate, had sought to build on the social programs initiated under Petro, promising expanded healthcare, education funding, and land redistribution for rural communities.
The razor-thin margin reflects the deep polarization gripping Colombian society. Urban centers like Bogota and Medellin voted overwhelmingly for Cepeda, while rural departments and smaller cities swung heavily toward de la Espriella. Political analysts note that the election essentially split the country in two, with neither side commanding a convincing mandate to govern.
De la Espriella has called for intensified military action against armed groups operating in Colombia rather than the peace talks favored by the Petro administration. This marks a sharp departure from the negotiated approach that has defined Colombian security policy in recent years. He has also pledged to strengthen ties with Washington, aligning Colombia more closely with US foreign policy priorities in Latin America.
Trump's endorsement gave de la Espriella significant international prominence and solidified his image as a US-aligned conservative leader in the region. The victory adds Colombia to a growing list of Latin American countries that have shifted rightward in recent elections, a trend that Washington views as favorable to its strategic interests in the hemisphere.
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