Colombian presidency goes to runoff election that could redefine relations with the US | CNN

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Bogota, Colombia —

In a surprisingly strong performance, right-wing outsider candidate Abelardo de la Espriella will face leftist candidate senator Iván Cepeda in a June runoff election to decide Colombia’s presidency, setting the stage for a battle over the country’s political future and the direction of its relationships with key international partners, including the United States.

With more than 99% of the votes counted in Sunday’s first round of the presidential election, de la Espriella won the most ballots with 43.73% of the vote, falling short of the absolute majority required to win outright in the contest. Cepeda, representing the left-wing Historic Pact coalition, was in second place with 40.91%. The first-round vote left Democratic Center candidate Paloma Valencia trailing well behind with 6.92%, according to preliminary results released by the National Civil Registry.

Valencia represented the Democratic Center party founded by former President Álvaro Uribe and became the first woman to win the party’s presidential nomination. Shortly after the results, Valencia announced her support for de la Espriella, urging people not to let the “new communism” in the country continue.