Progressive candidate Iván Cepeda has conceded Colombia's presidential election to Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative outsider endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The concession by Cepeda, a lawmaker, came after election results showed de la Espriella, a businessman and lawyer with no prior political office, defeating him by a narrow margin of 1 percentage point, equivalent to nearly 251,000 votes.
Cepeda addressed the nation, stating, “We assume with serenity, responsibility, and absolute resolve — and let there be no doubt about it — the role that circumstances demand of us. We will exercise a democratic, vigilant and constructive opposition.”
The election outcome is viewed as a significant repudiation of the policies of outgoing President Gustavo Petro. Cepeda had pledged to continue Petro's governance, including the administration's largely unsuccessful attempts to establish dialogue with various armed groups under the "total peace" initiative.
Electoral authorities released nearly all vote counts shortly after polls closed on Sunday. Initially, Petro and Cepeda did not formally accept the results, with Cepeda indicating he would await a recount. His subsequent concession marks the official end of the electoral contest.