Far-Right Espriella Wins First Round; Faces Cepeda in June 21 Runoff

Abelardo de la Espriella, the far-right presidential candidate, won the first round of Colombia's May 31 presidential election, ending any prospect of outright first-round victory. He will face left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda — previously the front-runner in polls — in a June 21 runoff. The result marks a sharp turn from the Gustavo Petro era and sets up a high-stakes polarizing contest over the future of Total Peace, the 2016 FARC accords, and economic policy.