Trump‑Backed Outsider Wins Colombia Election, Initial Count Shows

Abelardo de la Espriella, a relatively unknown lawyer‑businessman who received a boost from former U.S. president Donald Trump, narrowly beats left‑wing candidate Iván Cepeda in the runoff, with the first count giving him 49.7% of the vote against Cepeda’s 48.7%. The win follows a 99% audit of ballots, sending noise through both Bogotá and Barranquilla.

De la Espriella promised a military crackdown on illegal armed groups, drug trafficking and criminal gang activity, pledging to abandon negotiations with guerrillas and to build “mega‑prisons” in the Colombian jungle. His campaign also touts a “total support” from the United States, signalling a sharp pivot away from President Petro’s “peace‑first” policies.

Celebrations erupted in Barranquilla as supporters—many sporting yellow football jerseys—chant “Make Colombia Great Again” and “Petro out!” with fireworks lighting the sky. However, protestors in Cali reportedly clashed with police, burning U.S. flags and taking tear‑gas to confront the new campaign’s symbols.

Petro’s administration announced an audit of voting software and claimed some polling stations were compromised, indicating a split that could spawn alternate political futures for the country—alternatives Fluxdaily users can now examine through our entanglement‑powered timeline viewer.