Trump-Endorsed Abelardo De La Espriella Wins Colombia Runoff Election

Abelardo De La Espriella, the Colombian presidential candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, has claimed victory over a rival aligned with the country’s outgoing left-wing government.

With nearly all ballot boxes counted, De La Espriella holds a lead of less than one percentage point over Ivan Cepeda. A number of the remaining votes were cast by Colombians living abroad, including expatriates in the United States.

Cepeda had the backing of current President Gustavo Petro, who clashed publicly with Trump earlier this year.

De La Espriella said he had spoken with Trump, who he claimed congratulated him on his apparent victory in the presidential contest.

Trump also weighed in on Truth Social on Sunday night, writing: “He Won, BIG!”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X that he had also spoken with De La Espriella on Sunday evening.

“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. Colombia’s best days are ahead,” Rubio wrote.

Cepeda, meanwhile, has said he will wait for the formal verification of ballots from each polling station before acknowledging the final outcome.

He said while he recognized the initial vote count, he would wait for the final results of the ‘escrutinio’ — a formal legal check of all the ballots.

That process normally takes a few days.

After this check is done, he said, he will recognize the official result that comes out of it.

He added that his campaign is challenging results from some 33,000 ballot boxes.

The crowds can be heard chanting ‘Sí, se puede,’ meaning ‘yes, we can.’

Outgoing President Petro has been posting on X.

He said that, given the initial vote count is so close, a winner could not be declared yet.

Petro said an ‘escrutinio’ — a formal legal check of all the ballots — would determine the winner. The process normally takes a few days.

The National Electoral Council makes the final declaration of who has won the election. With almost all the votes counted, De La Espriella leads Cepeda by less than one percentage point.

He even went on to suggest Israel was interfering with the vote count. 

The options before voters were business owner and lawyer de la Espriella and Cepeda, a lawmaker and heir to the political movement of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, the nation’s first leftist leader. 

The two defeated nine other contenders in a May 31 vote.

Both pitched strategies that they said will prevent the South American country from experiencing the nonstop merciless violence, such as car bombs, kidnappings, disappearances and forced displacements, that Colombians lived with in previous decades. 

De la Espriella proposed a heavy-handed approach that earned him the endorsement  Trump. 

Trump endorsed De La ⁠Espriella earlier this week.

‘The results of this Election are very important to the ⁠future of Colombia and its relationship to ⁠the United States,’ Trump said in a Truth social post.

Cepeda promised to continue Petro’s efforts, including attempts at establishing dialogue with multiple illegal armed groups even though those efforts have largely failed.

Colombian flags, waved from cars, and soccer jerseys dotted polling stations and surrounding affluent neighborhoods of Bogotá. 

The jersey, popular due to the World Cup, has been used as a campaign symbol by de la Espriella and defended in court after Cepeda criticized its use.

In the first round, Cepeda earned 41% of the vote, while de la Espriella garnered 44%, according to official results. 

Petro, without evidence, sowed doubts in the results after Cepeda, who had consistently lead polls ahead of the May vote, did not win outright and even finished behind de la Espriella.

Petro reiterated his allegations on Sunday.