The far-right presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, from the Defenders of the Homeland movement, voted this Sunday in Barranquilla, Colombia, in the first round of an election to which more than 41 million Colombians are called.
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De la Espriella, who appears in second place in the voting intention polls, went to vote at La Enseñanza school surrounded by a cloud of bodyguards and supporters chanting “yes we can, yes we can,” and before casting his ballot he raised his fists as a sign of strength.
SEE: Petro votes in the elections in which his successor for the 2026-2030 term in Colombia will be chosen
The candidate, whom his supporters call ‘the Tiger,’ briefly showed the media the ballot marked in favor of his own candidacy and performed his characteristic military salute “at attention for the homeland,” with fingers on the right temple, before leaving the voting station amid applause and shows of support.
“Today freedom and democracy are defined. We are going to defeat tyranny in the first round”, the candidate told local media after voting.
The lawyer and businessman arrives at the electoral appointment as one of the three candidates with real chances to contest the Presidency along with the official candidate, Iván Cepeda, and the Uribist senator Paloma Valencia.
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The latest polls place De la Espriella very close to Cepeda and point to a second round on June 21, since none of the eleven candidates in the race would reach the absolute majority needed to win this Sunday.
During the campaign, De la Espriella focused his speech on security, the fight against illegal armed groups, and criticism of President Gustavo Petro’s administration.
De la Espriella will remain the rest of the day in Barranquilla, capital of the Atlántico department, and will receive the results in that city.
More than 118,000 polling stations were set up across the country this Sunday for a day in which Colombians will choose Petro’s successor for the 2026-2030 term.
