Overview
- The presidential runoff pits right-wing Abelardo De La Espriella against leftist Senator Iván Cepeda with the vote scheduled for Sunday, June 21, and polls showing De La Espriella as the favorite.
- De La Espriella campaigns on a hardline law-and-order platform that promises a stepped-up military offensive, cuts to the size of the state, revived oil exploration, visible nationalist pageantry and an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
- Cepeda offers continuity with President Gustavo Petro’s agenda by seeking deeper social reforms and renewed peace talks with armed groups while energizing young supporters through viral K-pop–style mobilization.
- A security report cited by multiple outlets found illegal armed groups grew from roughly 13,000 members in 2022 to about 25,000 by mid-2026, leaving large rural areas under criminal control and limiting any incoming president’s options.
- Observers warn of democratic risks including reports of coercion in remote towns, victims’ fears that a military crackdown could revive past abuses like 'false positives,' and the likelihood that weak public finances will constrain rapid policy shifts.