Colombian left‑wing presidential hopeful concedes loss in runoff election

The left‑wing candidate in Colombia’s presidential runoff, Iván Cepeda, conceded defeat three days after a record‑breaking turnout.

Preliminary results released shortly after polls closed showed Cepeda trailing his rival, right‑wing businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, by less than one percentage point.

Cepeda had initially said he would await the legally binding final tally, which is still underway, but on Wednesday he announced he had “decided to accept the result”.

He denounced US President Donald Trump for endorsing de la Espriella.

“We condemn the open and improper foreign interference in Colombia’s domestic affairs, especially the actions of President Donald Trump,” he told journalists.

Trump had lauded de la Espriella after his first‑round victory and labeled Cepeda a “radical Left Marxist”.

Following de la Espriella’s runoff win over Cepeda, Trump claimed he had won “easily,” despite the candidate’s margin of victory being a mere 0.96 percentage points — the narrowest in recent Colombian presidential history.

Referring to the nation’s deep polarization, Cepeda said he chose to concede “as an act of democratic responsibility; I do so to foster coexistence, peace, and dialogue among Colombians.”

As the runner‑up, he is entitled to a Senate seat, where he pledged to exercise “a democratic, vigilant and constructive opposition”.

De la Espriella, who during the campaign threatened to “gut the Left,” struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech, asserting that those who disagree with him have nothing to fear.

Since the Sunday runoff, de la Espriella has already forged closer ties with the Trump administration than outgoing president Gustavo Petro, who has repeatedly clashed with his US counterpart.

Colombia’s president‑elect said on Tuesday that he would accept an invitation for the country to join the “Shield of the Americas,” a US‑led alliance of Western Hemisphere nations aimed at combating criminal cartels and drug trafficking.

De la Espriella is set to be sworn in on 7 August.

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