With more than 90% of polling stations reporting, conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella led the race with more than nine million votes, followed by left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, who trailed by roughly 600,000 votes.
Read the candidates’ full profiles here:
Who Is Abelardo de la Espriella, the Lawyer Turned Into a Key Figure of Colombia’s Right Wing?
Iván Cepeda, the Face of Colombia’s Left Seeking the Presidency
The runoff election is scheduled for June 21, when Colombians will return to the polls to choose between the two finalists. According to Colombia’s National Registry Office, approximately 41 million eligible voters will be able to cast ballots in the decisive second round.
Who Is Abelardo de la Espriella?
De la Espriella, 47, is a prominent criminal defense attorney and businessman who has become one of the leading figures on Colombia’s political right despite having no previous experience in elected office.
Born in Bogotá in 1978 and raised in a family with roots in the Caribbean city of Montería, he has built a national profile through his legal career and business ventures. He is married to business administrator Ana Lucía Pineda, and the couple has four children.
His running mate is José Manuel Restrepo, a respected economist, former government minister and academic with degrees from Universidad del Rosario, the London School of Economics, and the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
Known to supporters as “El Tigre” (The Tiger), De la Espriella has positioned himself as the strongest conservative challenger to the political movement led by President Gustavo Petro. His campaign has focused on security, economic growth and opposition to the continuation of Petro’s left-wing agenda.
De la Espriella argues that Colombia needs a political change that will strengthen institutions, combat crime and reverse policies implemented by the current administration.
Who Is Iván Cepeda?
Cepeda, 63, is a philosopher, longtime senator and one of Colombia’s most prominent left-wing political figures.
He is the son of leftist activist Yira Castro and former senator Manuel Cepeda Vargas, a member of the Patriotic Union party who was assassinated in 1994 by state agents working in collaboration with paramilitary groups.
A close ally of President Gustavo Petro, Cepeda is the presidential candidate of the governing Historic Pact (Pacto Histórico) coalition. His campaign centers on continuing Petro’s flagship policies, including the government’s “Total Peace” strategy aimed at negotiating with armed groups and reducing violence.
His running mate is Aída Quilcué, an Indigenous senator widely recognized for her advocacy on behalf of Indigenous communities and victims of Colombia’s armed conflict.
A High-Stakes Contest
The runoff will present voters with two sharply different visions for Colombia’s future.
De la Espriella represents a conservative platform focused on security and economic liberalization, while Cepeda is campaigning on preserving and expanding the progressive reforms introduced during Petro’s presidency.
The winner of the June 21 runoff will take office on August 7 and lead Colombia through 2030.
