Trump admirer’s surprise first-round win is a blow to Colombia’s traditional conservatives
Summary
Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right lawyer and admirer of President Donald Trump, won the first round of Colombia’s presidential election with 43.7% of the vote. He will face leftwing senator Iván Cepeda, who received 40.9%, in a runoff election on June 21. The result shows a shift in Colombia’s rightwing vote away from traditional conservatives toward more radical candidates.Key Facts
- De la Espriella won the first round with 43.7% of votes, narrowly ahead of Cepeda’s 40.9%.
- Around 3.6 million votes went to other candidates, to be contested in the runoff.
- De la Espriella is inspired by far-right leaders like President Trump and promises to end Colombia’s armed conflict quickly.
- Traditional rightwing candidate Paloma Valencia, loyal to former President Álvaro Uribe, got only 6.9% after losing support.
- The election comes amid rising violence in Colombia, with different views on peace efforts: De la Espriella supports military action; Cepeda supports negotiation.
- Both candidates exchanged harsh personal insults after the first-round results.
- President Gustavo Petro’s government disputed the election numbers without evidence, raising concerns about the democratic process.
- Historically, candidates in second place have managed to win runoffs in Colombia twice (1998 and 2014).
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