Abelardo de la Espriella, candidate of the radical right supported by the President of the United States Donald Trump, claims the victory in the presidential elections in Colombiaa. According to preliminary data released by the National Registry, with 99,65% of the votes counted, the conservative leader would have obtained 12.921.702 votes, equal to 49,65%, against the 12.673.392 votes (48,70%) collected by the progressive candidate. Ivan CepedaThe gap would be just 248.310 preferences, equal to 0,95 percentage points.
Despite the narrow margin and the lack of an official proclamation, de la Espriella celebrated the result as a victory already achieved. In a message posted on X, he wrote: "Abelardo officially president: the tiger embraces the condor. I love you, Colombia." The post was accompanied by a symbolic image depicting a tiger and a wounded condor embracing. "El Tigre" is the nickname his supporters call him, while the condor is one of Colombia's national symbols.
"We defeated forced elections, vote-buying, traditional parties, corruption, privileged groups, and guerrilla warfare. Colombia has won," added the conservative leader.
Colombia's elections are on the line, with the result contested by the progressive front.
The narrow lead immediately fueled protests from the progressive front. The outgoing president Gustavo Petro he called for the electoral competition not to be considered concluded, asking for wait for the official count before any proclamation. "Polls without the signatures of members of the electoral commission must be contested immediately. It is not yet possible to determine who the president is," Petro wrote on social media.
On the same line too Ivan Cepeda, which raised doubts on regularity of the vote and asked for a control Accurate counting of every ballot. The candidate of the Pacto Histórico has reported anomalies in the minutes and announced his intention to contest approximately 33 polling stations during the official count. The electoral authorities' verifications will therefore be crucial in confirming or potentially overturning the outcome of one of the most closely contested and polarized elections in recent Colombian history.
Meanwhile, the publication of preliminary results has provoked tensions in several cities of the country. In Cali, around a thousand protesters took to the streets to contest the outcome of the vote, giving rise to clashes with the police and the burning of several American flags. Riot police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. According to authorities, some participants were armed with bricks and iron bars during the clashes.
Who is Abelardo de la Espriella: the new face of the Colombian right?
A 47-year-old lawyer and entrepreneur, Abelardo de la Espriella is one of the main faces of the new Colombian rightA Trump supporter, he built his campaign on security, the fight against crime, and a break with the political establishment. He presented himself as an outsider, claiming to have left a comfortable life in Florence to "save the country." With no institutional background, he gained the support of former President Álvaro Uribe and large sectors of the Colombian right. He is also known as an amateur opera singer and for his strong social media presence. In the business world, he has developed businesses in the rum and fashion sectors with the "De la Espriella Style" brand.
Il program of de la Espriella combines a very hard line on the front of the of your digital ecosystem. and a economic visionto strongly free marketeerHis proposals recall the model adopted by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in the fight against criminal gangs and that of the Argentine President Javier Milei on the containment of public spending. During the campaign he promised to govern Colombia with an "iron hand", intensifying the war against drug traffickers and armed groups that continue to operate in the country. Among the most controversial measures is the construction of ten mega-prisons underground prisons for members of criminal organizations. On the economic front, he aims to reduce the state apparatus by 40%, arguing that Colombia should be managed according to criteria similar to those of a private enterprise and entrusted to people capable of creating wealth and attracting investment.
The reactions
Among the first to congratulate de la Espriella was the leader of the Venezuelan opposition Maria Corina Machado, who hailed the result as a victory for “freedom, democracy and peace”.
From the United States Donald Trump described the victory as "a great one," while the Secretary of State Marco Rubio He expressed support for bilateral cooperation on security, immigration, and economic relations. In a live online broadcast, Espriella added that he had also received congratulations from the Italian Prime Minister's entourage. Giorgia Meloni“The democracies of the world are watching Colombia and recognizing our victory,” he declared.
