Colombian right-wing candidate De La Espriella wins tight presidential race
Key takeaways
- De La Espriella had 49.66% of the vote while his rival, Senator Ivan Cepeda, trailed by some 250,000 votes at 48.70%, according to the national registrar’s tally of just under 100% of ballots in the runoff election.
- He has said, however, that he will preserve Petro’s 23% increase in the minimum wage, along with other popular social measures.
- He earlier celebrated a congratulatory call from U.S.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize BOGOTA: Colombian right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella has clinched a narrow victory in Sunday’s presidential election, according to an initial ballot count, as voters bet on his Donald Trump-endorsed promise of a crackdown on crime and a stronger economy.
De La Espriella had 49.66% of the vote while his rival, Senator Ivan Cepeda, trailed by some 250,000 votes at 48.70%, according to the national registrar’s tally of just under 100% of ballots in the runoff election.
Cepeda, 63, had pledged to maintain the policies of President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel and the country’s first leftist president, including state pension payments for the poor, union-backed labor reforms, a moratorium on new oil projects, and continued peace talks with armed groups.