The left‑wing candidate in Colombia's presidential run‑off, Iván Cepeda, has conceded defeat after preliminary results showed his rival only edged him by a fraction of a point.
Cepeda decided to accept the result early, calling the U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of De La Espriella an example of “open and undue foreign interference.”
He expressed a pledge to act with democratic responsibility, stressing the need for coexistence, peace, and dialogue among Colombians.
De La Espriella, a businessman who threatened to “gut the Left” during the campaign, also promised a conciliatory approach in his victory speech, assuring that those who disagree would not face intimidation.
With the runoff held in front of a record turnout—just 0.96 percentage points ahead—Colombia’s newly elected president will soon align more closely with the Trump administration, loosening ties with the outgoing president Gustavo Petro’s anti‑Trump stance.
Cepeda will now serve in the Senate as part of a “democratic, vigilant and constructive opposition,” while De La Espriella’s inauguration is scheduled for August 7.
