Colombia’s presidential election approached a critical stage, leading to a runoff with a far-right candidate gaining ground. This event could signal a rising trend for right-wing parties in Latin America.

Abelardo de la Espriella, the far-right candidate, is set to contest against Iván Cepeda. Cepeda is a senator representing the left-wing party of the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro.

De La Espriella’s popularity surged late in the campaign, mirroring other Latin American populist leaders like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, known for their strict stances on crime. De La Espriella has stated his intent to apply this approach to combating drug traffickers.

With over 99 percent of the votes counted, the national civil registry reported a divided electorate. De La Espriella received 43.73 percent of the votes, while Cepeda garnered 40.91 percent. As neither candidate reached the 50 percent threshold, a runoff is scheduled for June 21.

On Sunday night, President Petro expressed concerns about the preliminary results. He declared that he would await an official tally before accepting the outcome.

Cepeda, a veteran human rights activist, maintained strong support for Petro’s political agenda. This agenda has aimed to advocate for marginalized populations often excluded from political power. President Petro was limited to serving a single term.