Colombia’s Presidential Run-off Election Approaches
Colombians are just hours away from selecting their president for the next four years in a run-off election set for Sunday. The contest features conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriela, who is leading in polls, against far-left senator Iván Cepeda.
On June 21, over 41 million Colombian voters will head to the polls to choose a successor to outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who will leave office on August 7. Both candidates concluded their campaigns last weekend in preparation for this runoff. Early polls suggest that de la Espriela, a 47-year-old lawyer and businessman endorsed by Donald Trump, is favored to win.
This election comes three weeks after the first round of voting held on May 31, where 13 candidates competed. De la Espriela emerged as the front-runner with nearly 44% of the votes, while Cepeda closely followed with about 41%.
De la Espriela, alongside his running mate, José Manuel Restrepo, promotes a conservative platform focused on national pride. He aims to exert control over Colombia within his first 90 days in office, intending to implement strict measures against violent crime and narco-terrorism.
His security policies propose stiffer penalties for offenders and the construction of ten maximum-security facilities inspired by a “mega-prison” model from El Salvador. Additionally, he seeks to significantly reduce the size of the Colombian government and cut public spending, taking cues from policies initiated by Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
In an interview with a local newspaper, de la Espriela revealed plans to sign 90 executive orders on various issues, including security and education, to expedite his agenda while preparing legislative proposals for Congress.
Trump first endorsed de la Espriela shortly after the initial vote, praising him as a “smart, strong, tough leader.” He reiterated this support recently, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming run-off for Colombia’s future and its ties to the United States. Trump asserted that a victory for de la Espriela would mean full American support for Colombia.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Argentine President Javier Milei, who announced his backing for de la Espriela this week, stating that he had discussed the current political moment in Colombia with him. Ecuadorian President Daniel Novoa also expressed his support ahead of the election.
Meanwhile, Iván Cepeda and his running mate, Aida Marina Kirkue, represent President Petro’s Historical Accord coalition. Cepeda, closely linked to Petro, aspires to become the second leftist president in Colombia’s history, following Petro’s term. The constitution prohibits Petro from running for re-election.
Should Cepeda win, he has committed to advancing Petro’s leftist agenda, which includes initiatives he describes as “Three revolutions to make Colombia a global vitality.” His plans involve tackling corruption, promoting “territorial democratization,” and possibly reviving Petro’s “complete peace” negotiations with criminal entities. He has firmly opposed expanding hydraulic fracturing and resource exploration in the country.
Additionally, Cepeda’s proposals include dismantling Colombia’s National Electoral Council to better democratize institutions and legalizing cannabis. Interestingly, while he has seemingly abandoned a push for a Constituent National Assembly to revise the constitution, he remains somewhat undecided on the issue.
In recent discussions, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno labeled de la Espriela an advocate for “law and order,” while he characterized Cepeda as a “full-fledged communist.”
