Petro rejects Colombia election result as EU observers and official count confirm de la Espriella win

Colombia's presidential election has entered a tense three-week runoff period, overshadowed by outgoing President Gustavo Petro's refusal to accept the preliminary results of the first round. The official count, nearly complete, shows far-right populist Abelardo de la Espriella defeating left-wing senator Iván Cepeda by roughly 673,000 votes, setting up a polarized second round on 21 June.

The president's fraud allegations

Petro has centered his accusations on the private firm Thomas Greg and Sons, run by the Bautista brothers, which operates the rapid-count software used on election night. He claims the software was altered to inflate de la Espriella's vote, citing 5,300 polling stations that recorded more than 300 votes — the maximum he says is possible in a day — with some reaching 700. He also alleges the electoral roll was padded by nearly 900,000 voters whose IDs were not registered by the legal deadline.

I said I did not recognize the preconteo data from the Bautista brothers' software because I have data.

Petro has stated he will only accept results from the official oversight commissions presided over by judges. The same company managed the quick count when Petro won the presidency in 2022.

Observers push back

International missions have firmly rejected the fraud narrative. The EU Election Observation Mission, led by Spanish MEP Esteban González Pons, deployed 143 observers from 24 EU countries plus Norway, Switzerland and Canada. Their preliminary report described all phases of the process as transparent, orderly and smooth.

Once again, Colombia has given a lesson in democracy. Despite the presence of illegal armed groups in parts of the country, despite questions about the electoral system, and despite growing polarisation, Colombia has brought the ballot boxes to every corner of the country.

The Organization of American States mission, with 96 observers, reached similar conclusions. Colombia's own Electoral Observation Mission (MOE), which has monitored elections for nearly two decades, also saw no possibility of fraud. MOE director Alejandra Barrios stated the organization found no evidence of irregularities.

The candidates and the runoff

De la Espriella won 43.7% of the vote to Cepeda's 40.9%, with participation reaching what the EU mission called a historic level of 58%. The uribista candidate Paloma Valencia finished third, leaving the two most ideologically opposed candidates to face each other on 21 June. Pre-election polls had shown Cepeda as the favorite, making de la Espriella's first-round lead a surprise.

Cepeda initially declined to comment on the results but has since conceded no irregularities occurred. De la Espriella has accused Petro and Cepeda of attempting to subvert Colombia's democracy.

Trump weighs in

US President Donald Trump expressed his full support for de la Espriella on Truth Social, calling him an intelligent, strong and tenacious leader who loves the United States. Trump framed the runoff as a contest between de la Espriella and a radical left Marxist, adding that the outcome is very important for Colombia's future and its relationship with the United States.

Abelardo will face a radical left Marxist in the June 21 runoff; the results of this election are very important for the future of Colombia and its relationship with the United States.

What comes next

The second round on 21 June will test Colombia's institutional resilience. The EU mission expressed confidence that the same democratic commitment will hold. Eurodeputy Leire Pajín, who leads the European Parliament delegation within the mission, said she hopes the runoff will be peaceful, democratic, and free from interference, with full respect for Colombia's sovereignty and the will of its people.