US-backed lawyer wins Colombia presidential runoff
Abelardo de la Espriella, a lawyer known as “El Tigre,” has narrowly won Colombia’s presidential runoff election, defeating left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda and signaling a sharp shift to the right in the South American nation, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
With nearly all polling stations reporting, de la Espriella secured 49.66% of the vote against Cepeda’s 48.70%.
Addressing supporters in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla, the 47-year-old candidate declared: “We are beginning a new era!”
“For those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years, their time is up!” he said.
The victory is expected to strengthen ties with the United States and reflects a broader trend of right-wing leaders gaining ground across Latin America on promises of tougher security measures.
Despite celebrations by supporters, the election exposed deep divisions within Colombia. Protests erupted in the city of Cali, where demonstrators clashed with police, while thousands of de la Espriella’s supporters took to the streets in celebration.
Seeking to reassure opponents, the president-elect pledged to govern inclusively.
“Mine will be an absolutely democratic government and a guarantor of freedom and institutional order,” he said, adding: “I will govern for all Colombians, for those who voted for me and for those who choose another candidate.”
De la Espriella has vowed to take a tougher stance against armed groups and drug traffickers, including ending peace talks with dissident factions.
Meanwhile, Cepeda stopped short of conceding defeat, saying his campaign would wait for the final validation of votes before recognizing the result.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Colombia held its presidential runoff election on June 21, with voters choosing between right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda.
