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De la Espriella Holds 49.66% Lead Over Cepeda in Colombia Presidential Vote Count
Inside Climate News reported that right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella leads Colombia's presidential election with 49.66 percent of the vote. Progressive rival Iván Cepeda Castro trails at 48.7 percent with nearly all ballots counted. Former President Gustavo Petro and Cepeda said they will challenge the results.
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Abelardo de la Espriella holds a razor-thin lead in Colombia’s preliminary presidential vote count, Inside Climate News reported. With 99.9 percent of the results in, de la Espriella has 49.66 percent of the vote while Iván Cepeda Castro has 48.7 percent, election authorities said Monday. De la Espriella claimed victory Sunday night.
Gustavo Petro alleged irregularities in the vote count in social media posts Sunday. Petro and Cepeda said they will challenge the results. De la Espriella, 47, is a multimillionaire criminal-defense attorney who owns businesses in real estate, luxury goods and alcohol.
He has called leftist groups the “plague” and said he would “gut” them. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X Sunday evening that the Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with the incoming administration on regional security, immigration and economic ties.
More than 15,000 people and 318 communities currently receive protection from the Colombian government for defending the environment, human rights or speaking out against corruption. Watchdog organizations rank Colombia the deadliest country for environmental defenders, with dozens murdered each year.
Juan David Amaya, founder of the Bogotá-based environmental nonprofit Life of Pachamama, said it would be naive to deny fear and uncertainty among environmentalists over a de la Espriella presidency.
Amaya described the campaign tone as harsh and confrontational and urged the incoming administration to recognize that environmental protection is a national responsibility.
