Polls close in Colombia vote with Espriella and Cepeda advancing to runoff
Summary
In Colombia’s presidential election first round, lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and senator Iván Cepeda are leading and will face each other in a runoff vote later in June. De la Espriella emphasizes a tough approach to crime, aligning with President Donald Trump’s views, while Cepeda supports continuing peace efforts started by outgoing President Gustavo Petro.Key Facts
- Abelardo de la Espriella received more than 43% of the vote but did not secure over 50% needed to win outright.
- Iván Cepeda got nearly 41% of the votes.
- The two candidates will compete in a runoff election scheduled for June in Colombia.
- De la Espriella is known as “The Tiger” and promotes a hardline stance on crime similar to approaches in El Salvador and connected to President Trump.
- Cepeda is a progressive senator allied with outgoing President Petro’s peace efforts with armed groups.
- Paloma Valencia, a centrist candidate, earned less than 7% and did not advance.
- Colombia’s election results may influence political trends across Latin America regarding crime and peace policies.
- The vote comes amid ongoing violence after Colombia’s peace pact with FARC, including attacks on political figures.
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