Colombia to Hold Presidential Runoff Between Abelardo de la Espriella and Iván Cepeda

Colombia will hold a presidential runoff election on June 21 between ultrarightist candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist candidate Iván Cepeda after neither secured a majority in the first round.

Key points

• Abelardo de la Espriella secured 43.7% of the vote, while Iván Cepeda received 40.9%.
• President Gustavo Petro has refused to accept the preliminary results, citing concerns over the electoral software and potential irregularities.
• Former President Álvaro Uribe acknowledged the defeat of his party's candidate, Paloma Valencia, and endorsed Abelardo de la Espriella for the second round.
• Iván Cepeda has formally challenged Abelardo de la Espriella to a political and electoral debate ahead of the runoff.
• Voter turnout reached 57.41%, surpassing the participation levels seen in the 2022 first-round election.

Why it matters

The runoff represents a sharp ideological divide in Colombia, with the outcome set to determine the country's future political direction amid significant social and security challenges.