Abelardo de la Espriella Wins Colombia's 2026 Presidential Runoff
The independent lawyer narrowly defeated the Historic Pact's Ivan Cepeda in the June 21 runoff and is set to take office on August 7.
Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia's 2026 presidential election, narrowly defeating Ivan Cepeda in the runoff held on June 21. De la Espriella, a lawyer who ran as an independent, took about 43.7 percent of the vote to Cepeda's roughly 40.9 percent, one of the closest presidential results in recent Colombian history.
The runoff followed a first round on May 31 that narrowed the field to the two men. Cepeda, of the governing Historic Pact (Pacto Historico), conceded after the count, and electoral authorities declared de la Espriella the winner in late June.
Outgoing president Gustavo Petro, elected in 2022, was constitutionally barred from seeking another term, since Colombia does not permit presidential re-election. He remains in office until the handover. De la Espriella is due to be inaugurated on August 7, 2026, the start of a single four-year term.
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Reportado por El Paisa, nuestro corresponsal colombiano.
