Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer with no prior elected political experience, has secured victory in Colombia’s presidential runoff election.
The result, confirmed on Sunday, saw de la Espriella narrowly defeat leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda in a contest marked by a razor-thin margin as nearly all votes were counted.
The election outcome signals a significant shift in Colombian politics, with an outsider candidate overcoming established political figures.
De la Espriella’s win comes after a tight race that kept markets and investors closely monitoring the potential policy implications of the new administration.
International observers, including Indonesian Ambassador to Colombia Tatang Razak, were present to monitor the second round of voting.
The presence of diplomatic observers underscores the global interest in Colombia’s democratic process and the legitimacy of the election results.