Noboa Congratulates De la Espriella, Says Colombia Chose 'Order Over Impunity'

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has congratulated Abelardo de la Espriella, the apparent winner of Colombia's presidential election, asserting that the neighboring country has "chosen order over impunity." Noboa's statement on X, formerly Twitter, also conveyed a shared belief in the need for security, progress, and decisive governance against crime in the region.

Noboa's remarks come amid a period of strained relations between Ecuador and Colombia, largely stemming from trade disputes initiated by Ecuador over security concerns. Last January, Noboa imposed a "security tax" on Colombian imports, citing insufficient action by President Gustavo Petro's administration to combat drug trafficking and crime along their shared border. This led to retaliatory tariffs from Colombia.

While Ecuador eventually eliminated its security tax, and Colombia lifted most of its tariffs, the underlying tensions persist. De la Espriella, representing the Defensores de la Patria movement, secured a narrow victory in the second round of the presidential election. Preliminary results from the Registraduría Nacional show him with 12,921,702 votes (49.65%), a slim lead of 248,310 votes over the leftist candidate Iván Cepeda, who garnered 12,673,392 votes (48.70%).

The close margin between the two candidates is tighter than pre-election polls had predicted, making the official final count crucial for confirmation. De la Espriella's win, framed by Noboa as a choice for order, signals a potential shift in regional dynamics concerning security and governance.

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Today Colombia chose order over impunity. Congratulations to Abelardo de la Espriella for this victory. We share the conviction that our region deserves security, progress and governments that face crime without excuses.