As governments across South America are falling one by one into the hands of US-backed right-wingers, all eyes are on Colombia, one of the last strongholds of the left. A critical election is due to take place on 21 June in a country where, for the first time in a century, the left came to power in the last election. Iván Cepeda, a left-wing candidate backed by incumbent President Gustavo Petro, will face off against the far-right Abelardo de la Espriella, who has pledged tough security policies, this weekend.
Espriella, who has received open support from the Trump administration, secured 43.7% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election, whilst Cepeda secured 40.9%. Trump and his team are calling for votes for Espriella ahead of the second round, whilst resorting to every possible means—both overt and covert—to prevent the left from winning at the ballot box. The election is of critical importance in determining the path Colombia will take regarding security, peace, the economy and relations with the US.
THE OUTCOME IS UNCERTAIN
Speaking about the critical elections in Colombia, Laura Capote, the Continental Coordinator of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), noted that it is difficult to make a clear prediction regarding the second round, pointing out that the shifting dynamics between different factions continue, which opens the door to an open-ended scenario.
Capote said that, following the victory of the right-wing candidate Espriella in the first round, there had been early assessments suggesting the gap would widen further and that Espriella would find the path ahead much easier; however, she added that the situation had begun to shift thanks to changes in the campaign of the left-wing candidate Cepeda and the public’s embrace of the strategy. Capote, who maintains optimism, explained that grassroots initiatives organised independently by people in different parts of the country have made Cepeda more visible and created a more assertive campaign.
Laura Capote, Continental Coordinator of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA)
AIMING FOR CENTRE-RIGHT VOTES
Capote emphasised the importance of considering several factors, stating: “Firstly, those unable to reach polling stations. These are areas where Cepeda has already won. They are regions in the interior where, due to geographical features, political structures or the dynamics of armed conflict, it is extremely difficult for certain communities to reach polling stations. “For this reason, one of the current priorities of Cepeda’s campaign is to ensure that people can exercise their right to vote. This is a crucial factor, as the abstention rate was quite high in many of the areas where Cepeda won in the first round.”
As the presidential race rages on, the gap in the vote count is narrowing. Capode, noting that the battle to win over centrist votes that went to candidates such as Sergio Fajardo and Claudia López in the first round has intensified, pointed out that the aim in the second round is to draw these votes towards Iván Cepeda – not so much due to ideological affinity, but rather as a reaction against the far-right candidate Espriella.
According to the Colombian activist, who highlighted that the political atmosphere is extremely tense and polarisation is clearly evident with just days to go before the election, the working classes and the general public in particular have embraced Cepeda’s campaign.
Pointing out that class differences are also reflected in the campaigns, Capode says: “Whilst Espriella’s supporters travel in convoys of large luxury vehicles — although there are some more modest ones amongst them — they are generally running campaigns backed by the country’s leading economic circles, in which a great deal of money is being spent. In Cepeda’s campaign, however, we are witnessing a process in which ordinary people—who make up the majority of society—have taken ownership of the campaign themselves in order to secure victory.”
When asked what the future holds for Colombia, Capote responds as follows: “On the one hand, there is the far-right option. Although our country has historically been governed by the ruling classes, the right-wing, the national bourgeoisie and the oligarchy, a shift in the balance of power has taken place over the last four years since the victory of the Pacto Histórico and President Gustavo Petro. It is a fact that priority is being given to the working classes. Current data also confirms this. The increase in the minimum wage, along with significant reductions in hunger, poverty, inequality and unemployment figures, demonstrate that the working classes – and those who have been most neglected – are the government’s priority.”
COLOMBIA AT A CROSSROADS
Laura Capote, emphasising that this is precisely the situation that the far-right Espriella is attacking and seeks to completely dismantle, continues: «He wants to grant privileges to the ruling classes by punishing the working classes who support the Historical Pact’s project for change.» Furthermore, in connection with this, he is ideologically fully aligned with US foreign policy. He harbours an open admiration for Trump and even for Benjamin Netanyahu. He intends to draw parallels between what Netanyahu has done in Israel and what he, in his own words, wishes to do in Colombia. He wants to develop a policy of extermination against those he regards as ‘enemies’. On various occasions, he has stated his aim to root out the left and, in one way or another, eliminate those sections of society opposed to his government. When speaking, he uses the word ‘destripar’ — which means ‘to gut’, that is, ‘to slaughter’.”
Regarding the regional implications of the election results, Capote states the following: “Colombia is undoubtedly of great importance to the entire region and its overall political dynamics. The fact that we now have a progressive government is significantly altering the regional landscape. We are the continent’s third-largest economy, and this undoubtedly influences our country’s political orientation at the regional level. In this context, should this progressive government continue, the strengthening of alternative forces across the continent will be significant. The strengthening of this bloc—led by Mexico and Brazil, and including Colombia—will foster a vision of sovereignty and regional integration that goes beyond merely following US directives, particularly in the case of Colombia. Should Espriella be elected, there will be a return to a line that is entirely subservient to US foreign policy, just as Iván Duque and previous administrations in our country have done. The candidate of the progressive alliance. Consequently, a victory for the progressive alliance and Cepeda is of critical importance for the region.”
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THE REPORTS ARE FALSE; PETRO REMAINS IN OFFICE
Journalist Monica Valdes, meanwhile, noted that the reports circulating in recent days regarding the removal from office of the left-wing President Gustavo Petro do not reflect the truth.
Valdes said: ‘Those rapidly spreading reports have no constitutional or legal basis. No decision has been taken to remove Petro from office.’ This was merely a failed motion by a Member of Parliament to suspend Petro from office until 16:00 on 21 June – that is, until the end of the second round of the presidential election. MP Gloria Arizabaleta tabled a motion calling for the President to be temporarily suspended from office to prevent him from interfering in politics. For this motion to take effect, it would have had to be approved by the committee and then referred to the Senate, which, under the bicameral system, has the final say. However, this did not happen. The motion to remove him from office has no constitutional basis. The Impeachment Committee did not consider this motion and did not issue a final decision.”
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Cepeda’nın zaferi tüm Latin Amerika’yı etkiler, published in BirGün newspaper on June 18, 2026.
Kaynak: BirGün