Far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella wins Colombia presidency by a fraction of a point as rival vows to challenge ballots and protests erupt

The razor-thin outcome

With 99.99 percent of polling stations counted, the preliminary count gave De la Espriella, of the Defensores de la Patria movement, 12,959,542 votes (49.66 percent) against 12,708,712 (48.70 percent) for Cepeda. The margin of victory was only 250,830 votes, far less than the over 600,000‑vote gap from the first round. A record 63.59 percent of eligible voters participated, and 377,076 blank ballots proved decisive, surpassing the final difference between the candidates.

De la Espriella claims a “new era”

Celebrating in his coastal stronghold of Barranquilla, the president‑elect promised to govern for all Colombians.

“A new era begins, a change of order, the homeland miracle.”

Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, the lawyer, who goes by “El Tigre” and has no previous governing experience, added:

“To those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking and corruption all these years: your time is over.”

De la Espriella, who holds Colombian and US citizenship, will take office on 7 August 2026 and serve until 2030.

Abelardo de la Espriella12,959,542

Iván Cepeda12,708,712

Blank votes377,076

Abelardo de la Espriella

12959542 votes

Iván Cepeda

12708712 votes

Blank votes

377076 votes

Data from the article text

Cepeda refusal and street anger

Cepeda, a senator from the Pacto Histórico, said he would not accept defeat until the official scrutiny is complete and will challenge 33,000 polling stations.

“We recognize the preliminary count as official data, but our teams of tens of thousands of lawyers are contesting 33,000 polling stations nationwide.”

As night fell, protests broke out in Bogotá and Cali, where demonstrators burned American flags and erected barricades.

“We are not going to support this government. It does not represent me as a young person. We are going to see many more protests.”

Washington celebrates, pledges cooperation

US officials immediately embraced the result. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had spoken with De la Espriella to congratulate him, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Colombia “the latest example of how voters across Latin America are rejecting failed leftist policies.” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social:

“He won, BIG!”

Rubio added that the administration “looks forward to working with his future government” on regional security, ending illegal immigration to the United States, and deepening economic ties. Right‑wing governments in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador also sent congratulations.

A fragmented Congress and a violent country

De la Espriella will govern with just four senators from his own movement in a 103‑seat legislature, forcing him to rely on traditional parties that backed him in the runoff (Centro Democrático, Cambio Radical, and the Liberal and Conservative parties). He inherits a country wracked by the worst violence in a decade, with active conflicts involving the ELN guerrilla, the Clan del Golfo paramilitaries, and FARC dissidents. The president‑elect has vowed a hardline security policy, including US‑backed airstrikes and crop fumigations to fight drug trafficking.