Colombians Head to Polls in Tight Presidential Race Pitting Leftist Reforms Against Right-Wing Crackdowns
By Carlos Vargas, Luis Jaime Acosta and Nelson Bocanegra
BOGOTA, May 31 (Reuters) — Colombians began casting ballots on Sunday in what is shaping up to be a bitterly contested first round of a presidential election that could define the country's political trajectory for years. Voters are weighing a leftist senator pledging to expand social reforms, an independent businessman promising a sweeping security crackdown, and a conservative female lawmaker seeking to become Colombia’s first female president.
Leftist Ivan Cepeda, a 63-year-old senator and son of a slain communist leader, has consistently led opinion polls but appears unlikely to secure the outright majority needed to avoid a June runoff. Analysts say the real battle will come in a second round, when right-leaning and centrist voters — currently split among multiple candidates — are likely to coalesce behind a single alternative.
Cepeda has vowed to deepen the reforms of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, including higher taxes on top earners, a land redistribution plan of 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres) for victims of Colombia’s six-decade internal conflict, and expanded healthcare coverage. He also pledges to pursue peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, a strategy that has stalled under Petro’s tenure.
Graciela Rojas, a 46-year-old teacher, said after voting in southwestern Bogotá that she backed Cepeda “with the hope that the country can stay on the path of change and achieve what was blocked during this term by right-wing lawmakers and the courts.” Petro has used executive decrees to push through some policies blocked by the judiciary, including a more than 20% minimum wage increase this year — a move that has divided public opinion.
Lawyer with a tough-on-crime agenda
Hot on Cepeda’s heels is Abelardo De La Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer and businessman who has never held elected office but whose blunt style and proposal to build 10 megaprisons have drawn comparisons to El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele. Portraying himself as an outsider free from political baggage, De La Espriella has called for a hardline offensive against illegal armed groups, and aims to reduce poverty through improved education, healthcare, and housing for the poorest.
“We believe that with Abelardo we can return to the path of growth and prosperity we had before the left came and destroyed everything,” said Jhon Vergara, a 55-year-old auto mechanic. “We cannot allow this to keep going in the wrong direction. We have to think about future generations and the country we want to leave — in my case, for my grandchildren.”
De La Espriella, who has legally represented controversial figures including former Venezuelan minister Alex Saab, warns that a Cepeda victory would lock in Petro’s much-criticized economic policies, including a ban on new oil projects. He says his campaign is self-financed, without donations from parties or large corporations — a claim Reuters could not independently verify.
Right-wing candidate taking on corruption
Polling in third place is Senator Paloma Valencia, backed by former President Álvaro Uribe. Until recently the leading right-wing candidate, Valencia has overlapped with De La Espriella on several fronts: a hard line against corruption, drug trafficking, and illegal armed groups. She also promotes tax breaks for companies to generate jobs and social programs funded by renewed oil and gas exploration.
Valencia’s anti-corruption message resonated with Antonio Peña, a 69-year-old landlord who said he voted for Petro in 2022. “Four years ago I backed change, but I was deeply disappointed. What disappointed me most was seeing corruption continue as before and promises remain unfulfilled,” he said after voting.
More than 40 million Colombians are registered to vote. Polling stations close at 4 p.m. local time (2100 GMT), with definitive results expected within hours, according to election authorities. The outcome of this first round will set the stage for a June runoff that could mark a sharp pivot either toward deeper progressive reforms or a return to law-and-order conservatism — with far-reaching implications for Colombia’s peace process, economic model, and foreign relations.
(Reporting by Carlos Vargas, Luis Jaime Acosta and Nelson Bocanegra; Editing by Julia Symmes Cobb, David Gaffen and Deepa Babington)