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PoliticsColombia presidential runoff set between leftist Senator Cepeda and right-wing populist 'The Tiger'
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Colombia will hold a presidential runoff election later this month between leftist senator Iván Cepeda, a close ally of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, and right-wing populist outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, who calls himself 'The Tiger'. In the first round on Sunday, de la Espriella won 10.3 million votes (43.7%), while Cepeda secured 9.6 million votes (40.9%), with no candidate reaching the required 50% plus one for an outright victory. No other candidate exceeded 7% of the vote. De la Espriella, a combative former criminal defense lawyer, outperformed expectations, continuing a trend of right-wing gains in Latin America.
Source report
A leftist senator and a right-wing populist outsider known as "The Tiger" will face off in a presidential run-off election in Colombia later this month, after no candidate secured an outright victory in the first round of voting on Sunday.
Key Results
- Abelardo de la Espriella, a combative former criminal defence lawyer and right-wing populist, won the largest share of the vote with 10.3 million votes (43.7%), though he fell short of the 50% plus one required to win outright.
- Iván Cepeda, a close ally of outgoing leftist president Gustavo Petro, came in second with 9.6 million votes (40.9%), with 99.9% of ballots counted on Sunday evening.
- No other candidate reached 7% of the vote.
Analysis
The strong performance of the right-wing candidate was not widely anticipated. However, as observers note, such outcomes have become less surprising given recent political trends in the region.
Source: Financial Times
Source
Marginal REVOLUTIONWestern
Part of this Story
Colombia's 2026 Presidential Election: Cepeda Leads Amid Right-Wing Split