Colombian right-wing presidential hopeful leads poll for runoff vote
Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella is gaining support ahead of Colombia's presidential election, nearly tying with leftist Ivan Cepeda in the latest polls. An AtlasIntel poll indicates that while Cepeda leads with 38.7% of the vote, De La Espriella is close behind at 37.3% and is predicted to win in a runoff. The election is set for May 31, with a potential runoff on June 21 if no candidate secures a majority.
- ▪Abelardo De La Espriella has surged in voter support, nearly tying with Ivan Cepeda.
- ▪The latest poll shows Cepeda leading with 38.7% and De La Espriella at 37.3%.
- ▪In a runoff, De La Espriella is projected to receive 50% of the vote compared to Cepeda's 41.3%.
- ▪Paloma Valencia trails with 14.3% of voter intention but is predicted to beat Cepeda in a runoff.
- ▪The election will take place on May 31, with a runoff scheduled for June 21 if necessary.
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Colombian right-wing presidential hopeful leads poll for runoff voteSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished May 24, 2026, 02:00 AMUpdated May 24, 2026, 02:00 AMBOGOTA, May 23 - Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella received a surge in voter support in the final week leading up to the first round of Colombia's presidential election, nearly tying with leftist Ivan Cepeda, whom the latest poll predicts he would defeat in a runoff.An AtlasIntel poll released on Saturday, the last to be issued before the May 31 vote, put Cepeda - the ruling party's candidate - in the lead with 38.7% of the vote, followed by businessman De La Espriella with 37.3%.However, the poll estimated that in a potential runoff vote between the two, De La Espriella would receive 50% of…
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