Colombia's presidential election runoff proceeds without major incident

Colombia's presidential election runoff is underway on Sunday with reports of a calm process and minimal disruptions to public order. The election, a second-round vote to decide President Gustavo Petro's successor, has seen both far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Iván Cepeda cast their ballots.

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We have to defeat tyranny (...) We are going to defeat the regime with the fervor of the Colombian people and the help of God. Today Colombia wins, firm for the homeland.

The election organization Misión de Observación Electoral (MOE) highlighted the "tranquil development of the electoral day" with only minor altercations. However, the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, noted that "marked ballot papers, with lines or dots," have been found in 14 of the country's 32 departments. He urged authorities to pay close attention to ensure the popular will is respected in these areas.

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We have conducted a clean, transparent, honest campaign in which we have presented our ideas, our program, our...

Approximately 41.4 million Colombians are eligible to vote across 13,742 polling stations to elect the president for the 2026-2030 term. Pre-election polls indicated De la Espriella, supported by former U.S. President Donald Trump, leading Iván Cepeda, an ally of the current president Petro. In the first round on May 31, De la Espriella secured 10.3 million votes (43.78%), while Cepeda received 9.7 million (40.98%).

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the tranquil development of the electoral day

De la Espriella, known as "El Tigre," voted early in Barranquilla, appearing in a Colombian national football team jersey and a panama hat. He rallied supporters with calls to "defeat tyranny" and "win for the homeland." Cepeda, accompanied by allies, voted later in Bogotá, emphasizing his campaign's focus on "clean, transparent, honest" ideas and programs.

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marked ballot papers, with lines or dots, in 14 (of the 32) departments