Abelardo de la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer with no elected experience but backed by President Donald Trump, is poised to become Colombia’s next president after a narrow vote count. Violent protests erupted across the country, and left-wing Senator Ivan Cepe
After almost all the ballots were counted, Colombia’s presidential race settled into a razor-thin margin—and almost immediately, the streets lit up.
Abelardo de la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer who has never held elected office, led with 49.66% of the vote while left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda captured 48.70%. Those numbers came with a warning of their own: violent demonstrations broke out across the country following preliminary results.
In Cali, demonstrators burned American flags and wielded steel bars, clashing with riot police. Police used tear gas in an attempt to push back the crowds. In Bogota, protesters set tires on fire and threw bricks at police.
The narrowness of the result is already shaping how the political fight is likely to unfold. The outcome is expected to be challenged by allies of the current government in the days ahead, as Cepeda and his supporters argue the process and what comes next can’t be treated as settled.
Cepeda told his supporters Sunday, “We will not allow … the rollback of the social gains we have achieved,” adding, “We will not allow democracy to be violated.”
That language lands against De la Espriella’s own pitch for power. He has run as a tough-on-crime candidate and has promised to build ten mega-prisons modeled after El Salvador’s CECOT facility. De la Espriella’s victory comes with a stark contrast: he is stepping into politics without having served in elected office before.
On Sunday night, he told supporters, “We are beginning a new era!” He then framed the election as payback for years of violence, saying, “For those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years, their time is up!”
During the campaign, De la Espriella said he would scrap peace talks with dissident groups that had been planned by Colombia’s current president. He also pledged to launch a 90-day campaign of U.S.-backed airstrikes against them, according to CBS News.
The race has carried heavy U.S. attention from the start. President Donald Trump endorsed De la Espriella earlier this month and celebrated the result on social media. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the outcome as well. saying the Trump administration looks forward to working with De la Espriella’s government if the result stands.
The stakes now shift from the vote to what happens after it. Whoever ends up being the official winner will begin a four-year term on Aug. 7.
The sequence seems unavoidable: a close result. protests that turned violent. and a clear message from Cepeda that he plans to fight what he sees as a threat to social gains. With the election still expected to face legal and political challenges. Colombia is heading toward a transition under pressure—one that will test not only the winners. but the country’s ability to calm itself before the term clock starts.
Colombia election Abelardo de la Espriella Ivan Cepeda Donald Trump Marco Rubio protests in Cali Bogota riots tough-on-crime mega-prisons peace talks U.S.-backed airstrikes
So basically Trump picked another president and now everyone’s mad? Sounds about right.
They burned American flags in Cali?? I’m not even surprised. If the margin is that close, people were gonna riot no matter what.
Wait didn’t Colombia vote already like last week? I’m confused. Also the “mega-prisons” thing—so he’s copying El Salvador but like… does that actually work or is it just propaganda?
49.66 vs 48.70 is like nothing. They can’t just call it settled and move on. I saw something about tear gas and it’s always the same story, rioters vs police, meanwhile rich folks keep doing rich folks stuff. Also the article said “rollback of social gains” but I don’t even know what gains they mean, lol.