BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and peace-builder Iván Cepeda were leading the vote counts in the first round of Colombia's presidential elections on Sunday, advancing to a runoff scheduled for later in June after neither secured the 50% threshold needed to win outright.
De la Espriella, a newcomer known as "El Tigre" or "The Tiger" who has portrayed himself as a tough-on-crime supporter of President Donald Trump, led the race with more than 43% of votes after nearly 98% of ballots were counted, Colombia's electoral authorities said. He fell short of the majority needed to win in the first round.
Cepeda, a progressive senator and ally of outgoing President Gustavo Petro who has promised to carry on a fraught push for "total peace," secured less than 41% of the vote. Paloma Valencia, a candidate from Colombia's establishment party who pitched herself as a centrist, fell short of advancing with less than 7% of votes.
The results are set to place the South American nation on two sharply diverging paths and could serve as a compass for political shifts in Latin America at a time when the region has increasingly turned toward candidates pushing for more militaristic crackdowns on criminal groups while aligning themselves with President Trump.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive supporters of Cepeda argue that continuing Petro's policies represents the best path forward for Colombia. Senator Cepeda has promised to carry on with Petro's "total peace" initiative, which seeks to negotiate agreements with the country's remaining rebel groups in an effort to resolve the persistent conflict.
Juan Acevedo, a 62-year-old sociologist who voted in Bogotá, said he planned to support Cepeda and expressed concern that heavy-handed security crackdowns would simply return Colombia to past military campaigns that reinforced its cycle of violence. "We're a country that has lived through 60 years of conflict," Acevedo said. "The danger here is that we return to the times where everyone is saying that the only way to solve our problems is with bullets and more war."
Supporters point to progressive policies advanced under Petro, including increases to the minimum wage and improvements to medical infrastructure, as evidence that Cepeda's approach addresses root causes of instability rather than relying solely on punitive measures.
What the Right Is Saying
De la Espriella's supporters argue that a firm security crackdown is necessary to address escalating violence. The candidate has promised to fiercely combat criminal groups, drawing comparisons to El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's aggressive approach to gangs, which reduced gang violence but drew accusations of human rights abuses.
Maria Eugenia, a 57-year-old seamstress in Bogotá who voted for de la Espriella, said negotiating peace pacts with armed groups simply rewards criminal behavior. "Of course, whenever you come down with a heavy hand, there's always going to be debate," she said. "But some people are going to have to fall to clean up what needs to be cleaned."
Both de la Espriella and Valencia have highlighted their affinity for President Donald Trump amid his more aggressive stance toward Latin America. The electoral loss of Valencia, seen as a political protégé of former President Álvaro Uribe, signals that conservative voters may be turning away from traditional party establishments in favor of more populist security-focused candidates.
What the Numbers Show
According to Colombia's electoral authorities, with nearly 98% of ballots counted after polls closed following eight hours of voting: de la Espriella led with approximately 43% of votes, Cepeda followed with less than 41%, and Valencia garnered less than 7%. None reached the 50% threshold required to win outright. The runoff is scheduled for June.
Colombia signed a historic peace agreement with FARC guerrillas in 2016, but violence has surged since then. In the lead-up to Sunday's vote, criminal groups launched drone strikes and armed attacks plagued the campaign. Last June, presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was fatally shot at a political rally. The outcome of this election is expected to shape regional approaches across Latin America as nations weigh security strategies.
The Bottom Line
De la Espriella is likely to consolidate much of Valencia's 7% of votes in the runoff, potentially making the June matchup highly competitive despite his first-round lead falling short of a majority. The election serves as a referendum on Petro's eight years in office and will test whether Colombian voters prefer continued negotiations with armed groups or a more aggressive military approach to persistent violence.