Scoopfeeds — Intelligent news, curated.
international

How Ivan Cepeda emerged a frontrunner in Colombia’s presidential election

Al Jazeera · Jun 20, 2026, 4:04 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

Key takeaways

  • A soft-spoken senator, Cepeda spent years advocating for victims of state crimes.
  • xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Bogota, Colombia – He had the look of a middle-aged schoolteacher.
  • But as Ivan Cepeda waded through the crowds at a surprise rally on June 3 in downtown Bogota, young supporters thronged to see him.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

A soft-spoken senator, Cepeda spent years advocating for victims of state crimes. But critics say taking on a president made him a 'hero to the left'.

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Bogota, Colombia – He had the look of a middle-aged schoolteacher. His back seemed slightly sloped, a grey cardigan hung from his shoulders, and a pair of glasses were perched atop his nose.

But as Ivan Cepeda waded through the crowds at a surprise rally on June 3 in downtown Bogota, young supporters thronged to see him.

Article preview — originally published by Al Jazeera. Full story at the source.
Read full story on Al Jazeera → More top stories

Also covered by

Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from Al Jazeera alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place. Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop