Colombian Presidential Election: Right-winger Espriella narrowly wins in preliminary count, Trump congratulates

(CNA Bogota, June 21,綜合外電報導) Preliminary vote counts in Colombia's presidential election today indicate that right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella may have won by a narrow margin, with voters betting on his promises to crack down on crime and strengthen the economy.

Preliminary statistics from Colombia's National Electoral Registry show Espriella currently leading with 49.65% of the vote, approximately 246,000 votes ahead of his opponent Ivan Cepeda, who has 48.70%.

Espriella attributes Colombia's current economic and security problems to incumbent President Gustavo Petro, and he has pledged to crack down on crime with an iron fist, cease negotiations with rebels and criminal organizations, revitalize the oil and gas industries, implement tax cuts, and reduce government bureaucracy by 40%.

However, Espriella also stated that he will retain the current administration's 23% minimum wage increase and other popular social measures.

With such a close election, with the vote difference between the two candidates less than one percentage point, it is expected that Espriella will have to adjust some of his policies to gain support from different parties in Congress.

The Historical Pact party, to which opponent Cepeda belongs, holds the most seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but no single party currently has an absolute majority.

Espriella, a lawyer with no prior political experience, will also have to face the challenge of high public debt.

He briefly stated in a YouTube live stream that he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump, who congratulated him.

In middle and upper-class neighborhoods in Bogota and Medellin, Espriella's supporters celebrated by waving national flags, honking horns, and setting off fireworks.

More than 26.3 million out of the nation's 41.4 million eligible voters went to the polls. Data from the electoral registry shows approximately 426,000 blank ballots were cast, which are often seen as protest votes.

Meanwhile, opponent Cepeda told supporters in Bogota that he is awaiting the final review by the electoral authorities and that the preliminary vote count needs to be checked vote by vote.

Cepeda pointed out that his team has questioned the counting results in approximately 33,000 of the 122,000 ballot boxes. (Compiled by Ji Jinling) 06/22/2024

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