BOGOTÁ, Colombia, June 25 (World Daily Times) — Abelardo de la Espriella won Colombia’s presidential runoff in a narrow contest, and leftist rival Iván Cepeda later conceded after initially challenging the preliminary count, according to election results and public remarks cited in the reporting.
Preliminary results showed de la Espriella, a conservative lawyer and political outsider known as “El Tigre,” ahead by less than one percentage point. Cepeda, a senator, had first questioned the tally but later said he would accept the result as an act of democratic responsibility.
Cepeda also accused the Trump administration of interference, alleged that artificial intelligence was used to influence voters, and said de la Espriella’s campaign relied on vote-buying and other improper tactics. The reporting did not include evidence supporting those claims.
De la Espriella has not previously held elected office and built his career as a lawyer. In campaign remarks, he promised a hard-line security agenda, including 10 maximum-security “mega-prisons” and a military offensive against illegal armed groups, drug trafficking and other criminal activity.
The new president is scheduled to take office on Aug. 7. The campaign also drew attention for its heavy use of social media and digital messaging, and for public backing from President Donald Trump.
