Colombian voters decide on a new president this Sunday in a vote between right and left with strong external influence
More than 41 million Colombian citizens are eligible to go to the polls this Sunday, June 21, to choose who will assume the country’s presidency for the period from August 2026 to August 2030. The nation’s highest position does not allow for re-election.
The final dispute is between two names from opposing political spectrums: Iván Cepeda, representative of the left and a strong ally of the current president, Gustavo Petro, and Abelardo De La Espriella, a far-right figure who has the explicit support of Donald Trump, president of the United States.
In the first round, held on May 31, Abelardo de La Espriella took the lead with 43.7% of valid votes, while Iván Cepeda secured 40.9%. This margin of just 673 thousand votes makes the second round particularly tight. With the participation of 57% of voters in a country where voting is not mandatory, the ability to mobilize the more than 40% who abstained in the first round will be the determining factor for victory.
Iván Cepeda, who is serving his third term as senator, is recognized for his training in philosophy and his incisive work in defending human rights. He is the son of Manuel Cepeda Vargas, also a former left-wing senator, murdered in 1994, during a period of intense political violence in Colombia.
As a candidate for the governing coalition Historic Pact, Cepeda proposes to continue the policies and project that established the first left-wing government in Colombian history, led by Gustavo Petro.
On the other hand, Abelardo de La Espriella, who received public support from Donald Trump for this election, signals a foreign policy of greater proximity to the White House and Israel. He presents himself as a political “outsider”, having never held elected office, and is a multimillionaire lawyer who admires Argentine president Javier Milei.
Before his candidacy, Espriella lived in Italy and served as a defender of controversial figures, including Jorge Visbal, associated with Colombian paramilitary groups, and Alex Saab, a businessman who worked for the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro.
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Colombia, a country that has faced armed conflicts for more than five decades, reaches this presidential election amid persistent cases of political violence and clashes with armed groups. The ambitious “Total Peace” project, promoted by the current administration, has not yet managed to completely resolve these tensions.
Despite security-related challenges, the South American nation, with its 53 million inhabitants — being the second most populous country in the region — has recorded favorable economic indicators. This includes wage growth and the approval, in recent years, of significant reforms in the labor and social security areas, which resulted in the expansion of rights for workers and retirees.
The influence of the Colombian election on regional geopolitics
The outcome of the Colombian second round, which takes place this Sunday, will have a considerable impact on the balance of political forces in South America. The vote takes place at a time when Donald Trump’s government intensifies its pressure on nations in the region to align their policies with Washington’s agenda.
Sebástian Granda Henao, professor of Borders and Human Rights at the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), explained that an eventual victory by Espriella would strengthen Trump’s influence in South America. He points out that this would be “another chip on the board of Trump’s imperial way of governing, presenting himself to the world demanding obedience”, and could slow down alliance initiatives against inequality, energy transition and environmental preservation.
On the other hand, Professor Granda Henao highlights that the election of Iván Cepeda would represent the continuity of a regional articulation between Colombia, Brazil and Mexico, countries that have demonstrated common alignments and positions on international issues in recent years.
