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. Juan Barreto/AFP
A political newcomer who has the endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump has been declared Colombia’s next president after his progressive opponent conceded the June 21 runoff.
On Wednesday, electoral officials certified Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer and entrepreneur, as the winner over Sen. Iván Cepeda by approximately 251,000 votes, or approximately 1 percentage point. De la Espriella received 49.66 percent to Cepeda’s 48.7 percent in the final tally of more than 26 million votes cast.
