Far-right lawyer De la Espriella, backed by Trump, elected Colombia's president

Colombia has elected far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella as its new president, marking a significant political shift after the term of the country's first leftist president, Gustavo Petro. De la Espriella, who garnered support from former U.S. President Donald Trump, narrowly defeated Iván Cepeda, an ally of Petro, in a closely contested runoff election.

The final results showed De la Espriella securing 49.6% of the vote compared to Cepeda's 48.6%, with 99.5% of ballots counted. This narrow margin underscores a deeply divided electorate. The tight race followed a similarly close first round on May 31, where De la Espriella received 43.78% of the vote and Cepeda garnered 40.98%.

Security was a major concern during the elections, with the Ministry of Defense mobilizing 408,000 military and police personnel to ensure safety and prevent interference from illegal armed groups, particularly in rural areas where voters and civilians had reported threats.