JUST IN: Colombia goes to the polls to consolidate the left or return power to the right
World News Update:
International observers are closely monitoring the latest developments as new information continues to emerge.
Cover Latin America Live First modification: 05/31/2026 – 14:18 Last modification: 05/31/2026 – 14:42 Staff from the National Registry prepare the electoral material for the first round of the presidential elections to be held on May 31, in Santander de Quilichao, Colombia, on May 30, 2026. © Jair F. Coll, Reuters La The first round of Colombia’s presidential elections is held this Sunday to elect Gustavo Petro’s successor. A total of 41.4 million Colombians are eligible to vote and 11 candidates are participating in the electoral race, in which the left-wing senator Iván Cepeda leads the voting intention polls. He is followed by the far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and the conservative senator Paloma Valencia, from the Democratic Center. The country is torn between continuing the Historical Pact project or turning towards the traditional right. The essential: Some 41.4 million Colombians will be able to participate in the first presidential round, including 1.4 million voters residing abroad. Voters will decide between 11 candidates for the Presidency. Iván Cepeda, representative of the left, leads the polls and appears as the candidate with the most options to advance to an eventual second round. Behind him are Abelardo de la Espriella, from the extreme right, and Paloma Valencia, from the right-wing Democratic Center. According to the polls, none of the candidates would reach the absolute majority necessary to win in the first round. If this trend continues, Colombia will have to hold a second round on June 21. Below, the most relevant moments of the voting day on May 31 to elect the next president of Colombia: 05/31/2026 – 14:42Colombia decides between three visions of the country in elections marked by polarization The presidential election in Colombia faces three clearly differentiated political projects: the continuity of the legacy of Gustavo Petro, represented by Iván Cepeda; the commitment to a strong hand and the anti-system discourse of Abelardo de la Espriella; and the proposal for institutional recovery and security of Paloma Valencia. With none of the favorites in a position to win in the first round, the polls point to a second round in a scenario dominated by political fragmentation and polarization. 05/31/2026 – 14:35What do Iván Cepeda, Paloma Valencia and Abelardo de la Espriella propose? In our ‘In Context’ section we analyze the proposals of the main candidates who aspire to the Presidency of Colombia ahead of the first electoral round on May 31. What do Iván Cepeda, Paloma Valencia and Abelardo de la Espriella propose to handle issues such as the health system crisis, corruption or the escalation of violence? We review it. 05/31/2026 – 14:17Presidential candidate denounced for domestic violence The wife of Colombian presidential candidate Santiago Botero, Manuela Echeverri, denounced him for alleged domestic violence and obtained protection measures for herself and her ten-month-old son, hours before the first electoral round. The Cartagena Family Police Station ordered restrictions against Botero, including the possible limitation of access to firearms, while the process progresses. The candidate rejected the accusations and assured that it was an attack with political interests in the final stretch of the campaign. 05/31/2026 – 14:15The OAS will monitor complaints for alleged electoral intervention by Petro The OAS Electoral Observation Mission committed to following up on the complaints presented by candidate Claudia López regarding President Gustavo Petro’s alleged participation in politics during the presidential campaign. The complaint is added to the preliminary investigation opened this week in the House of Representatives against the president, accused by sectors of the opposition of publicly favoring the official candidate Iván Cepeda. The OAS deployed 96 observers to supervise the first round of elections this Sunday. 05/31/2026 – 14:12Colombia will deploy 248,000 uniformed personnel to guard the elections. Election day in Colombia will have a security device made up of 248,000 members of the Military Forces and the Police. In addition, the process will be supervised by 26 international organizations and missions, which will deploy some 1,500 observers to accompany and verify the development of the vote. A soldier stands guard while security forces patrol Colombia’s border with Venezuela to control irregular crossings before the first round of the presidential elections to be held on May 31, in Cúcuta, Colombia, on May 30, 2026. Photo: Lucas Molet, Reuters 05/31/2026 – 14:11How does Colombia reach the presidential elections?: the pulse of the regions Colombia faces a campaign marked by armed violence, the crisis of the health system, social inequality and economic uncertainty. From different regions of the country, France 24 analyzes the issues that dominate the electoral debate and the concerns that could define the political course of Colombia in decisive elections for the future of the country. 05/31/2026 – 14:09Keys to the presidential elections in Colombia Some 41.4 million Colombians are eligible to vote in the first presidential round on May 31, including 1.4 million citizens abroad. Eleven candidates remain in the race, after the left-wing candidates Luis Gilberto Murillo and Carlos Caicedo withdrew their candidacies to support Iván Cepeda.Iván Cepeda (left) leads the voting intention polls and is emerging as the main favorite to advance to a second round. His main rivals are Abelardo de la Espriella (far-right), who occupies second place in the polls, and Paloma Valencia (Democratic Center, right), located in third position. No candidate appears with enough support to exceed the 50% plus one of the votes required to win in the first round. Polls point to a second round on June 21. 05/31/2026 – 13:55 Welcome to the coverage of the Colombian presidential elections that will be held this May 31. With EFE, AFP, Reuters and local media
Global Impact:
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Source: This article was originally published by France 24 – Noticias y actualidad internacional en vivo and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
Read the original article here.