US-backed political newcomer wins Colombia election, marking country's right-wing shift

Right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, who was endorsed by US President Donald Trump, narrowly won Colombia's presidential election on Sunday. The polarising result triggered both celebrations and protests across the country.

With over 99% of the votes counted, de la Espriella, a political newcomer who had never run for office before, secured 49.66% of the vote, while left-wing lawmaker Iván Cepeda's held 48.70%.

The win is expected to mark a sharp shift away from the agenda of outgoing president Gustavo Petro, whose strategy Cepeda had pledged to continue if he won.

De la Espriella, instead, is expected to take a tougher stance on security policies and vowed a crackdown against drug-running guerilla groups.

Addressing supporters in a bulletproof booth at a celebration rally in Barranquilla, de la Espriella announced the "beginning of a new era," and promised to "govern for all Colombians".

"For those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years, their time is up!" he added.

The 47-year-old lawyer's win is also expected to pave the way for closer ties between Colombia and the United States.

US President Donald Trump celebrated the victory on Truth Social writing, "He Won, BIG!". Also Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated de la Espriella.

Rubio wrote on X that Washington looked forward to "advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties," adding that "Colombia's best days are ahead".

Colombia shifts right, triggering protests across country

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in several Colombian cities to protest the election results.

In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, clashes broke out between police and protesters. Demonstrators burned US flags while police used tear gas to break up crowds. In Bogotá, demonstrators burned tires and hurled bricks at police.

"[It's the fact that they] chose war and the destruction of our country over the opportunities offered through the continuity of [Gustavo Petro’s] administration under [Iván] Cepeda," Marta Suarez, a supporter of Iván Cepeda said.

Others, however, were elated of the results.

"I'm very happy," supporter Daniela Oliveros said in Barranquilla. "Abelardo, at this moment, is giving us above all a sense of security, employment, and dignity".

Cepeda refused to concede, calling the results of the presidential runoff provisional.

"We recognize the vote count carried out tonight as a figure that is still, as of now, neither official nor binding," he said while speaking to a crowd of supporters in Bogotá.

"Once the vote count is complete and the final results are in, and the necessary verifications have been carried out, we will recognize the official results of that vote count," he added.

Hundreds of thousands of votes would need to be overturned for Cepeda to win, an unlikely scenario given that the discrepancies between the preliminary count and the final count is usually in the low thousands.