Colombia’s presidential election moves to a runoff after the first round delivers a narrow lead for right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, described by multiple outlets as a Trump admirer. With nearly all ballots counted, de la Espriella tops the poll with about 43.7% of the vote, narrowly ahead of left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, who receives about 40.9%. The gap sets up a runoff between the two main candidates.

Several reports characterize Cepeda as aligned with, and backed by, outgoing President Gustavo Petro, while de la Espriella is presented as a conservative or hard-right outsider and a “tough-on-crime” figure. Some outlets also report political controversy around the election process, including that Petro-linked figures raise questions about the results, a claim that appears in coverage but is not detailed further in the summaries provided.

The runoff is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, 2026. Turnout in the first round is reported as high, with one outlet citing a record turnout near 58%. Most coverage frames the runoff as a contest between the two candidates’ contrasting political directions.