Total Peace

Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative businessman endorsed by Donald Trump, won Colombia’s presidential runoff election by defeating Iván Cepeda by 1 percentage point. The result marked a rejection of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s policies, including efforts to establish dialogue with armed groups.

Conservative businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump, won Colombia’s presidential runoff election against progressive candidate Iván Cepeda by 1 percentage point, marking a shift from outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s policies. Cepeda conceded after a recount confirmed de la Espriella’s victory, which reflects voter dissatisfaction with Petro’s 'total peace' initiatives and economic challenges.

Progressive candidate Iván Cepeda conceded Colombia’s presidential election to Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative businessman endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump. De la Espriella won by 1 percentage point, marking a rejection of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s policies, including the 'total peace' initiative. De la Espriella, a Trump supporter and Republican Party member, plans to adopt strict crime-fighting strategies similar to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s approach.

Progressive candidate Iván Cepeda conceded Colombia’s presidential election to Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative businessman endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump. De la Espriella won by 1 percentage point, marking an indictment of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s government and its 'total peace' policy.

Colombia’s presidential runoff election may shift the country’s approach to its armed conflict. Frontrunner Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right lawyer and businessman, has pledged to abandon President Gustavo Petro’s 'total peace' negotiation strategy in favor of military confrontation with armed groups.

About 100 Colombian guerrilla dissidents disarmed in a ceremony in Putumayo, entering a government-run resettlement zone for reintegration. The dissidents, part of the National Coordinating Committee of the Bolivarian Army, are a faction of the former FARC. President Gustavo Petro's 'total peace' policy aims to address armed groups, though the effort has largely failed.

Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella urged prosecutors to investigate claims that rebel groups coerced voters in remote municipalities to support Sen. Iván Cepeda during the May 31 election. De la Espriella's campaign cited Cepeda's high vote shares in areas with active illegal armed groups, while the European Union electoral observation mission reported voter complaints about pressure from officials and rebel groups.

Colombia's first-round presidential election saw conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, known as 'The Tiger,' secure a surprise victory, positioning him for a June 21 runoff against leftist Ivan Cepeda. De la Espriella's campaign focuses on a hardline approach to criminal organizations and security, contrasting with President Gustavo Petro's 'Total Peace' policy. Analysts link his success to a regional shift in Latin America against leftist governments.

Abelardo de la Espriella, a pro-Trump tough-on-crime lawyer, and Iván Cepeda, a peace-builder, are leading in Colombia's presidential election first round and will face a June runoff. De la Espriella received over 43% of votes, while Cepeda secured under 41%, with both candidates representing diverging visions for Colombia's future.

Colombians are voting in a presidential election featuring a Petro ally and pro-Trump candidates with opposing views on peace. The race includes Ivan Cepeda, who supports Petro's 'total peace' initiative, and Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, who advocate harsher measures against armed groups. The election follows a surge in violence and a failed 2016 peace agreement with FARC.

Colombia’s 'Total Peace' plan under Gustavo Petro is being debated by presidential candidates as the country prepares for new elections. The policy's legacy is framed as either a failure or unfinished business.

The 2016 peace deal with FARC reduced Colombia's violence but failed to end the conflict, as subsequent governments delayed implementation and FARC dissidents and rebels rejected the agreement. Rising guerrilla attacks now challenge the 'total peace' promise as the country faces divided political approaches.