‘He Won, BIG!’: Trump-backed Abelardo de la Espriella defeats Petro ally in Colombia vote
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘He Won, BIG!’: Trump-backed Abelardo de la Espriella defeats Petro ally in Colombia vote")
Colombia's presidential candidate for the Defensores de la Patria movement, Abelardo de la Espriella, speaks to supporters from behind a bullet-proof glass following the preliminary results of the presidential runoff election at the Ventana al Mundo monument in Barranquilla, Colombia, on June 21, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Trump-backed Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia's presidential election in a tight race, defeating Iván Cepeda. He pledged a tough crackdown on crime, guerrilla groups and drug trafficking.
The right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who was endorsed by US President Donald Trump, has won Colombia’s presidential election on Sunday (Jun 21), as per the initial vote count. His narrow victory against left-wing Iván Cepeda, a close ally of the president, Gustavo Petro, signals a potential shift in the country’s approach to security, crime and the long-running internal conflict. Espriella has vowed to wage a war against drug-running guerrilla groups.
“Today begins a new stage for our country, a stage built on the free and democratic will of millions of citizens who chose to believe in a great, safe, prosperous Colombia full of opportunities,” Espriella said after winning the elections.
With more than 99 per cent of the votes counted, Espriella was leading with 49.7 per cent of the vote as Cepeda trailed with 48.7 per cent.
The 47-year-old’s victory is expected to ease tensions with Washington and reflects a broader trend across Latin America, where right-wing leaders advocating tough-on-crime policies have gained power.
“We are beginning a new era!” he told supporters in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla. “For those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years, their time is up!”
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Meanwhile, thousands took to streets of Colombia’s third-largest city of Cali, where protesters burned American flags, opposing De la Espriella. The police resorted to using tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Trump, Rubio congratulates Espriella
Reacting to right-wing leader’s success, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, “He Won, BIG!”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also congratulated Espriella, saying that the Trump administration looks forward to working with his incoming administration.
“The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties,” he wrote in a post on X.
Watch | Colombia: Trump-Backed Conservative Faces Petro Ally in Polarised Contest
