Colombia election: Leftist candidate Cepeda concedes but will challenge 33,000 vote counts

Leftist presidential candidate Iván Cepeda has acknowledged the preliminary results of Colombia's second-round election, which indicate a narrow win for right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. Despite this recognition, Cepeda announced that his campaign will contest 33,000 voting tables during the official vote count.

Speaking to supporters in Bogotá, Cepeda stated that this election has the closest margin of victory in any Colombian runoff in history. The preliminary count, with 99.91% of tables reported, shows De la Espriella with 12.9 million votes (49.65%) and Cepeda with 12.7 million votes (48.70%).

Cepeda, representing the Pacto Histórico party, affirmed his and his movement's commitment to democratic rules and recognized the preliminary count as an official figure. However, he detailed that his campaign's legal and electoral surveillance teams have already begun the process of challenging 33,000 tables nationwide.

He stressed that the left-wing sector is prepared to dialogue for national unity, provided it is respectful. Cepeda also highlighted the high voter turnout of 63.57%, calling it "good news for the country." He vowed to prevent any rollback of social achievements secured under the current government, which concludes its term on August 7.