Experts react: Colombia’s presidential runoff pits the far right against the far left. What’s next?

The polls point to polarization. Far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella surged to first place in Sunday’s Colombian presidential election, advancing to a June 21 runoff with far-left contender Iván Cepeda. The vote came amid continued violence—a leading candidate was assassinated last year—and economic upheaval in the country led by outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro. For a look at what message Colombian voters are sending and what to expect in the runoff, we turned to our regional experts.

Click to jump to an expert analysis:

Jason Marczak: Latin America’s rightward shift may be accelerating

Kevin Whitaker: Outside factors could play a role in the runoff

María Victoria Llorente: The center has been displaced by anxieties on the political extremes