Conservative attorney Abelardo de la Espriella led Colombia’s presidential runoff as early results came in Sunday, putting him in a strong position to sweep aside Gustavo Petro’s leftist movement and align Bogota with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
De la Espriella received 50.6% of the vote, with 65% of polling stations reporting, according to the electoral authority. Leftist senator Ivan Cepeda, a Petro ally, had 47.8%, in one of the most polarized elections in the nation’s history.
More complete results are expected later Sunday. The winner will take office on Aug. 7. Petro was constitutionally limited to one four-year term.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.