Sunday night ended with the country split down the middle. With more than 99.9% of votes counted in the quick count, far-right candidate Abelardo De la Espriella beat ruling party candidate Iván Cepeda by just 250,000 votes, equivalent to less than one percentage point. But far from having a clear winner, outgoing President Gustavo Petro and Cepeda himself called for calm and denounced massive irregularities.
“No one can be proclaimed president. It is the scrutiny that determines who is president. I obey the judges. Please, calm among citizens,” Petro tweeted minutes before the quick count gave its verdict. The president had already denounced during the day that his son could not vote abroad because someone had already voted in his name, and shared images of ballots marked in the blank vote box before being used.
In his bunker, Cepeda confirmed that his monitors will challenge 27% of the polling stations, about 33,000 nationwide. “We are democrats, far from us arbitrariness. We recognize the quick count as non-official and non-binding. One by one, they must be subject to scrutiny,” he said. And he sent a message to the opposition: “We will not allow social achievements to be rolled back. We will not allow democracy to be violated.”
On the other side, De la Espriella was already celebrating. On social media, he announced a caravan through the streets of Barranquilla and wrote: “It will be a celebration of democracy, freedom, and the future. With God’s help and the work of all Colombians, the Miracle Homeland will become a reality.” His running mate, José Manuel Restrepo, also celebrated early: “You did it, Tiger! Colombia chose a president and his name is Abelardo De La Espriella.”
Former President Álvaro Uribe, the big loser in the first round, came out to declare the election won and accused the ruling party of “vote buying and imposition of narco-terrorist groups.” “We are sure that Dr. De la Espriella will lead a government of democratic recovery,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Argentina, President Javier Milei congratulated his ally with an euphoric message: “THE LION AND THE TIGER ROAR IN LATIN AMERICA…!!! Today the majority of Colombians chose the path of economic freedom, relentless security, and saying ENOUGH to organized crime.”
Turnout in this runoff was the highest in history: more than 63% of eligible voters cast ballots, surpassing the 57% in the first round and previous runoffs. But the tight result and fraud allegations have raised alarms. Spontaneous protests are already occurring in Bogotá, Cali, and other cities. Colombia awaits the final tally, the only binding one, as tension grows and the country peers into an abyss of uncertainty.
che ya sabiamos q la derecha iba a chorear esta eleccion para mi de la espriella es un facho de mierda q representa lo peor de colombia cepeda tiene q pelear hasta el final no se puede permitir q estos oligarcas se roben la voluntad popular vamos a las calles carajo #FraudeNoPasa
Para mí, De la Espriella ganó limpiamente, esto huele a excusa de zurdos que no bancan perder. Cepeda es un choreto que quiere impugnar mesas para robar el triunfo. Viva la libertad carajo, que se dejen de joder y acepten la derrota.