A Trump Ally’s Rise in Colombia Could Mean the End of Landmark Climate Policies
Key takeaways
- A de la Espriella presidency would mark a sharp reversal for one of the world’s most ambitious experiments in fossil fuel phaseout.
- Election authorities said on Monday that with 99.9 percent of the results in, de la Espriella holds 49.66 percent of the vote, while progressive lawmaker and Petro-ally Iván Cepeda Castro has 48.7 percent.
- Petro alleged irregularities in the vote count in social media posts Sunday.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
June 22, 2026 Share This Article Republish Abelardo de la Espriella celebrates after casting his vote during the Colombian presidential runoff on June 21 in Barranquilla. Credit: Leonardo Castañeda/Getty Images Related Environmental Defenders Remain Among World’s Most Targeted Activists Colombia Passes First-Ever National Law Requiring Beef to Be Traced Back to Its Origins Rights of Nature Defender Wins Goldman Prize for Protecting Colombia’s Magdalena River From Fracking Share This Article Republish Most Popular Trump Administration Abandons Fight Against Wind Energy as Clean Energy Output Surges ‘We Just Want Clean Water’: Residents Sue a North Carolina County Over Landfill Contamination As Global Warming Threatens Corals Worldwide, Woods Hole Scientists Search for ‘Super Reefs’ That Can Take the Heat Right-wing businessman Abelardo de la Espriella holds a razor-thin lead in Colombia’s preliminary presidential vote count, positioning the Donald Trump ally to clear the way for expanded fossil fuel extraction, including controversial fracking projects.
A de la Espriella presidency would mark a sharp reversal for one of the world’s most ambitious experiments in fossil fuel phaseout. Under outgoing President Gustavo Petro, Colombia banned fracking and became the first major oil-producing nation to halt new oil and gas exploration licenses, positioning itself as a bellwether for developing countries seeking to align their economic policies with climate goals.
Election authorities said on Monday that with 99.9 percent of the results in, de la Espriella holds 49.66 percent of the vote, while progressive lawmaker and Petro-ally Iván Cepeda Castro has 48.7 percent. De la Espriella claimed victory Sunday night.