Far-right defence attorney and businessman Abelardo de la Espriella topped the first round of Colombia’s presidential election Sunday, followed closely by leftist senator Ivan Cepeda. A fervent supporter of US President Donald Trump as well as the authoritarian crime crackdown of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, De la Espriella has promised to wage an uncompromising war against the splintered armed groups that continue to hold out in the country’s hinterlands.
The first round of Colombia’s presidential election Sunday has thrown the nation’s fractures into harsh relief. Far-right criminal defence attorney and millionaire businessman Abelardo de la Espriella came in first place with just under 44 percent of votes, followed closely by leftist philosopher-turned-politician Ivan Cepeda on nearly 41 percent.
