21/06/2026 21:04 - Internacionales
Celebración electoral en Colombia con banderas nacionales, ciudadanos votando en urnas, ambiente democrático con colores amarillo azul y rojo, tarima con micrófonos para discurso del ganador
Colombia defined its political future this Sunday, June 21, 2026 in a presidential runoff that kept the country in suspense until the very last moment. With 99.84% of polling stations counted, the National Civil Registry confirmed that Abelardo de la Espriella was elected as the new president for the 2026-2030 term.
According to the official pre-count, De la Espriella obtained 12,941,992 votes (49.71% of valid votes), while his opponent Iván Cepeda reached 12,694,863 ballots (48.64%). The difference of approximately 247,000 votes marked one of the tightest elections in the country's recent history.
Abelardo de la Espriella is a Colombian criminal lawyer aged 47 years who founded the political movement "Defensores de la Patria" (Defenders of the Homeland) in July 2025, positioned on the far-right of the political spectrum. His platform was characterized by defending conservative values and openly criticizing the outgoing government of Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president.
During his campaign, De la Espriella received significant international endorsements, including expressions of support from former U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei. The latter generated a formal protest note from the Colombian government for interference in internal affairs, although this stance did not affect the electoral outcome.
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Abelardo de la Espriella | 12,941,992 | 49.71% |
| Iván Cepeda | 12,694,863 | 48.64% |
Data with 99.84% of polling stations counted
| Candidate | Percentage |
|---|---|
| De la Espriella | 43.74% |
| Cepeda | 40.90% |
No candidate reached the required 50%+1
Former President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010), one of Colombia's most influential conservative figures, celebrated the result, stating that victory was achieved "despite the illegal campaign by Gustavo Petro's government, vote buying, and pressure from narcoterrorist groups."
President Gustavo Petro denounced that lawyers were being prevented from entering Corferias, Bogotá's largest voting center. The president reminded that "only judges determine who the president of Colombia is."
Iván Cepeda announced he will contest 31,000 voting stations and will wait for official scrutiny before acknowledging defeat. His vice-presidential running mate, Aída Quilcué, also expressed dissatisfaction with preliminary results.
U.S. Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (Republican-Florida) traveled to Barranquilla to support De la Espriella and warned about possible sanctions for those participating in potential electoral fraud, recalling the U.S. Department of State's position.
Colombians abroad also participated actively: De la Espriella surpassed Cepeda in the United States, Canada, and Venezuela, while Cepeda performed better in other regions.
Traditional parties such as Radical Change and the Liberal Party expressed their willingness to work with the newly elected government. Attorney Iván Cancino, a De la Espriella supporter, recalled that in 2022, the difference between pre-count and official scrutiny was minimal (0.1%), dismissing significant irregularities.
The new president will assume office in August 2026, succeeding Gustavo Petro and marking a rightward shift in Colombian politics after four years of Historic Pact governance.
Sources: National Civil Registry of Colombia, Infobae Colombia
Alfredo S. Quiroga
