Abelardo de la Espriella has been declared the winner of Colombia's presidential election after defeating progressive candidate Iván Cepeda. The conservative outsider won by a razor-thin margin of 1 percentage point, representing nearly 251,000 votes. Senator Cepeda has since conceded the runoff, dispelling lingering doubts over the results.
De la Espriella is a millionaire businessman and lawyer who had never previously run for office. The far-right political newcomer received an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The election results are viewed as an indictment of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s government. Cepeda had promised to continue Petro's policies, including the total peace plan aimed at establishing dialogue with multiple armed groups, which was largely considered a failure.
While preliminary counts pointed to a victory for de la Espriella on Sunday night, Cepeda initially waited for a recount before accepting the results. Colombian electoral authorities officially confirmed de la Espriella as the winner after completing the legally-binding vote verification. In an address to the nation, Cepeda stated that he would exercise a democratic, vigilant, and constructive opposition.