Far-right candidate warns Petro and left not to disregard election results

Ultraderecha candidate Abelardo de la Espriella issued a stern warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro and the left-wing coalition, urging them to respect the outcome of the recent elections. De la Espriella, who emerged as the leading vote-getter in the first round, emphasized the importance of honoring the popular will demonstrated at the ballot box.

With nearly all votes counted, De la Espriella, representing the Defensores de la Patria movement, secured 10.3 million votes (43.74%). He narrowly defeated leftist candidate Iván Cepeda of the Pacto Histórico, who garnered 9.6 million votes (40.90%). De la Espriella directly addressed Petro and Cepeda, calling them "a pair of delinquents" and cautioning them against attempting to "disregard the popular will."

"Do not dare, do not even think about disregarding the popular will, because here there is a people who will confront you and defeat you," De la Espriella declared during a speech in Barranquilla following the preliminary results. This statement came after Petro indicated he did not accept the preliminary vote count, stating he would only recognize official results from electoral commissions led by judges.

De la Espriella framed the upcoming June 21 runoff election as a contest between those who uphold democracy and those representing the current government's continuation. He also escalated his rhetoric against Cepeda, labeling him a "narcoterrorist," and referred to Petro as a "drug addict and miserable."