De la Espriella Wins Colombia's Presidential Runoff by Razor-Thin Margin

Far-right outsider Abelardo de la Espriella defeated progressive Senator Iván Cepeda in Colombia's June 21 presidential runoff, winning 49.66% (12,959,542 votes) to Cepeda's 48.70% (12,708,712 votes) — a margin of roughly 250,000 votes, the narrowest in Colombian history. With over 12.9 million votes, de la Espriella became the most-voted presidential candidate in the country's history. He takes office August 7, 2026, succeeding Gustavo Petro, whose Pacto Histórico coalition backed Cepeda.