Colombia has elected a right-wing political novice as its next president, a result that signals a sharp departure from the outgoing administration and has deepened the country's political polarisation. Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer endorsed by US President Donald Trump, secured 49.66% of the vote against left-wing lawmaker Iván Cepeda's 48.70%, with more than 99% of ballots counted.
The outcome triggered both jubilation and anger. In Barranquilla, de la Espriella addressed supporters from a bulletproof booth, declaring the start of a new era. “For those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years, their time is up!” he said. In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, protesters burned US flags and clashed with police, who responded with tear gas. In Bogotá, demonstrators set tires alight and threw bricks at officers.
A Mandate for Change
De la Espriella, who had never before run for office, campaigned on a platform of tougher security policies and a crackdown on drug-running guerrilla groups. His victory is expected to reverse the agenda of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, whose strategy Cepeda had pledged to continue. The shift aligns Colombia more closely with the United States, a relationship Trump celebrated on Truth Social with the message: “He Won, BIG!” Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated de la Espriella, writing on X that Washington looked forward to “advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties.”
This rightward turn in Latin America's third-most-populous country echoes broader trends across the region, where US influence remains a potent force. As Trump's shadow looms over Latin America's rightward shift, de la Espriella's win may embolden similar movements elsewhere.
Protests and Refusal to Concede
Thousands took to the streets in several Colombian cities to protest the result. Marta Suarez, a Cepeda supporter, said: “[It's the fact that they] chose war and the destruction of our country over the opportunities offered through the continuity of [Gustavo Petro’s] administration under [Iván] Cepeda.” Others welcomed the change. Daniela Oliveros, celebrating in Barranquilla, said: “Abelardo, at this moment, is giving us above all a sense of security, employment, and dignity.”
Cepeda refused to concede, calling the preliminary count provisional. “We recognize the vote count carried out tonight as a figure that is still, as of now, neither official nor binding,” he told supporters in Bogotá. “Once the vote count is complete and the final results are in, and the necessary verifications have been carried out, we will recognize the official results of that vote count.” Analysts note that hundreds of thousands of votes would need to be overturned for Cepeda to win—an unlikely scenario given that discrepancies between preliminary and final counts typically number in the low thousands.
The election underscores the deep divisions within Colombian society, a country that has struggled with decades of armed conflict and drug violence. De la Espriella's promise to govern for all Colombians will be tested as he navigates a fractured political landscape and a population split between hope and fear.
