June 1, 2026

Colombia’s presidential race has careened into a June 21 runoff after preliminary results showed far-right firebrand Abelardo de la Espriella edging into the final round with 43.74 percent, setting up a brutal clash with leftist senator Iván Cepeda, who took 40.90 percent. The split vote is a sharp rebuke to the political establishment and a stark test for outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s camp, after de la Espriella’s late surge blew up the expected path to victory for conservative favorite Paloma Valencia, who collapsed to under 7 percent. With both sides now mobilizing, the country is staring down a consequential showdown that could signal another rightward turn in Latin America.

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