Normal view

The keys to Abelardo de la Espriella’s first-round victory in Colombia: anti-Petro and anti-politics sentiment

4 June 2026 at 10:00
Abelardo de la Espriella delivers a speech in Barranquilla on May 31.

Abelardo de la Espriella surprised many with his first-round victory in Colombia with 44% of the vote. The leader in the polls had consistently been left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, with the far-right candidate appearing in second place. However, those polls showed Cepeda hovering around 40% of voter intention — and he received just that. They also reflected a significant rise for the far-right candidate in recent weeks, as well as a loss of appeal for traditional right-wing candidate Paloma Valencia. In those surveys the two of them together polled roughly between 35% and 40% of voting intention. In the end, De la Espriella reached 44% and Valencia managed only 6%.

Seguir leyendo

Abelardo de la Espriella votes at La Enseñanza school in Barranquilla on May 31.
❌