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Colombia’s first-round presidential election, won by hard-line Abelardo de la Espriella, reflected what analysts described as a growing backlash across Latin America against leftist governments.
The presidential election may have a major impact on US interests in the region, including drug trafficking, migration and regional stability, as voters prioritize security, anti-drug policies and economic stability before the June 21 runoff between de la Espriella and candidate Ivan Cepeda.
“For the Trump administration, Colombia’s renewed commitment to security cooperation, anti-drug efforts, and strong democratic institutions would be a major win and an important step toward restoring stability throughout the Western Hemisphere,” Melissa Ford Maldonado of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) told Fox News Digital from Colombia.
ANTI-CARTEL HARDLINER CHANNELS TRUMP IN AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE LEFT’S TERM IN COLOMBIA’S GENERAL ELECTIONS
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella of the political organization Defenders of the Homeland reacts after the results of the first round of presidential elections, in Barranquilla, Colombia May 31, 2026. (Sergio Acero/Reuters)
“What is happening in Colombia affects the flow of drugs into American communities, the strength of transnational criminal networks, migration pressures and the broader balance between democratic governments and criminal regimes across the region,” he added.
The winner of the first round, de la Espriella, a conservative and apolitical lawyer known as “El Tigre” (“The Tiger”), emerged as the face of Colombia’s security-oriented revolution.
A favorite of President Donald Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, he won 43.7% of the vote on Sunday, outperforming the majority and advancing to the race against left-wing Cepeda, who was elected with the support of President Gustavo Petro.
His campaign is focused on cracking down on criminal organizations, which he says have flourished under Petro’s “Total Peace” policy.
Supporters of Colombian president Abelardo De La Espriella of the political organization Defenders of the Homeland react to the results of the first round of the presidential election, in Barranquilla, Colombia May 31, 2026. (Charlie Cordero/Reuters)
In an interview with the Associated Press, de la Espriella promised to open up more prisons and take a more aggressive approach to organized crime. “The criminals will surrender or leave the country,” he said.
The vote comes as Colombia faces rising violence, the rise of organized crime and growing criticism of President Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” strategy, which has called for talks with armed groups and criminal networks.
At least 80 killed in northeast Colombia as peace talks fail, official says
Colombian President Gustavo Petro attended the COP16 Conference in Cali, Valle del Cauca, on Oct. 29, 2024. (Luis Acosta/AFP)
“Colombia enters the June 21 conflict with armed groups controlling large parts of the country, a failed ‘total peace’ negotiation strategy that leaves communities more exposed than when it began, and a Venezuelan refugee crisis that has strained the regime’s already fragile ability to govern its territory,” said Daniel Swift, senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracy.
Maldonado said Colombia’s election reflected a broader political shift taking place across Latin America.
“This election is part of a broader trend across Latin America, where voters are rejecting the left’s failed promises in favor of security, sovereignty and economic opportunity,” he said.
ECUADOR’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL GO BETWEEN CONSERVATIVE, REMAINING REPRESENTATIVE
Colombian presidential candidate Ivan Cepeda of the Pacto Historico party speaks to supporters during his final campaign in Barranquilla, Atlántico department, on May 24, 2026. (Vanessa Romero/AFP)
“We’ve seen it in Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Costa Rica and now it’s growing in Colombia.”
Swift acknowledged that the election results reflect a broader regional trend.
He said that since de la Espriella was more successful “in every poll, with security at the top of the mind of all voters – it confirms that Colombia is part of a wider regional calculation: The people of Latin America are getting impatient with governments that cannot provide security,” said Swift.
Maldonado said the results show growing frustration with the direction of the country under Petro.
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Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella of the Defensores de la Patria party takes a selfie as he waits to arrive at his final campaign rally in Barranquilla, Colombia, May 23, 2026. (Vanessa Romero/AFP via Getty Images)
“Years of increasing insecurity, the rise of coca cultivation, the rise of criminal organizations, and allowing armed groups have left many Colombians disillusioned with the way the country is,” he added.
The June 21 race is expected to focus heavily on security policy, organized crime and Colombia’s future relationship with the United States under the Trump administration. Maldonado says it “gives Colombia the opportunity to start reversing course and reestablish a goal that should not have been discussed: criminal organizations must be confronted, not negotiated with.”
