Colombians went to the polls Sunday for a presidential runoff with consequences for Bogotá, Washington, and the fight against cartel power.
Abelardo de la Espriella, the pro-Trump lawyer, businessman, and political outsider known as "El Tigre," faces leftist Sen. Iván Cepeda, who wants to continue outgoing President Gustavo Petro's agenda. As reported after the first round, de la Espriella stunned pollsters by finishing first on May 31 after campaigning on crime, cartel violence, and a clean break from Petro's failed "total peace" strategy
De la Espriella's first-round win reflected growing frustration with a security situation that has deteriorated under Petro. Armed groups have expanded their reach, drug traffickers have grown more powerful, and violence has returned to parts of the country that once seemed to be stabilizing.
After securing his first-place finish, de la Espriella told supporters:
"We advanced to the runoff thanks to the more than 10 million Colombians who answered the roar. In 21 days, we will make history"
De la Espriella would break sharply from the country Petro has tried to build. He has pledged to end negotiations with armed groups, launch a broad military offensive, lower taxes, shrink the state by as much as 40 percent, and boost Colombia's oil and gas sector.
For de la Espriella, everything starts with security. Cepeda offers more Petro: state pension payments for the poor, union-backed labor changes, peace talks with armed groups, and a moratorium on new oil projects. He says Petro's project needs more time.
Security has overwhelmed the race. Colombia's violence has worsened since the 2016 FARC peace deal as armed groups moved deeper into drug trafficking and fought for territory. Authorities recorded 14,780 homicides last year, the highest number since at least 2015. Extortion cases reached 13,417 in 2025, more than double the number from a decade earlier.
A Bogotá taxi driver backing de la Espriella put the mood bluntly:
"We have to restore security. It's the only thing that truly guarantees our country's prosperity or condemns us to misery. I'm afraid that the continuation of Petro's project will destroy everything."
That is the core of de la Espriella's campaign: Stop negotiating with criminal groups and start making life difficult for them again.
De la Espriella has proposed 10 mega-prisons modeled on El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's anti-gang crackdown. Cepeda would keep Petro's "total peace" talks going, though only one armed group of about 100 members began disarming Thursday while illegal groups still have more than 27,000 members.
Read More: Colombia's Pro-Trump 'El Tigre' Tops First Round As Petro Ally Falls Short
Trump-Style Anti-Cartel Candidate Gains Ground in Colombia Election
Petro's government says it has seized more cocaine than any previous administration, but Reuters reports that peace talks have largely failed as armed groups have grown in power and drug-trafficking gangs have expanded, fueling murder and extortion along the Caribbean coast.
Washington is watching closely. Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with Petro, said Sunday's result is:
"...very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States."
Colombia is the world's largest cocaine producer and one of America's most important partners in the region. De la Espriella would likely bring closer cooperation with Washington on counter-narcotics, border security, cartel networks, and regional pressure on hostile regimes. Cepeda would keep Colombia on Petro's course.
The first round showed how vulnerable Petro's movement has become. Cepeda led in polling, but de la Espriella finished ahead, 44 percent to 41 percent, according to official results. Petro then sowed doubt about the vote without evidence after his preferred successor failed to win outright. Across Latin America, voters have been punishing left-wing governments over crime, weak growth, and elite failure. Colombia may be next.
More than 41 million Colombians are eligible to vote. Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time and were scheduled to close at 4 p.m., with initial results expected a few hours later.
Sunday's vote will decide whether Colombians want four more years of Petro's approach or a hard turn toward security, energy, and closer ties with Washington. After the surprise result in May, de la Espriella has the momentum. By Sunday night, we'll know whether it was enough.
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