Colombia heads to runoff after anti-establishment outsider tops first round
TL;DR
Colombia’s first-round results surprised polls: anti-establishment outsider Abelardo de la Espriella led with 43.74% to leftist Ivan Cepeda’s 40.90%, triggering a June 21 runoff. De la Espriella’s hard-right, security-focused message resonated in interior regions, while Cepeda kept support tied to Petro’s Historic Pact, signaling a tightly fought race and a shift away from poll expectations. Analysts caution against focusing on fraud allegations and emphasize wooing moderates in the runoff.
- Celebration, shock and scepticism follow Colombia’s presidential election Al Jazeera
- Colombian presidency goes to runoff election that could redefine relations with the US CNN
- Pro-Trump candidate pulls ahead in Colombia presidential vote as ruling party sows doubt in results AP News
- Colombia’s populist, Bukele-loving right looks likely to win power The Economist
- How a Far-Right Outsider Became the Front-Runner in Colombia’s Presidential Race WSJ
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on Al Jazeera