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June 5, 2026 / 7:27 PM EDT
/ CBS News
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In less than two weeks, Colombians will head to the polls in a runoff election to choose between a far-right outsider endorsed by President Trump, and a far-left senator who promises to deepen current President Gustavo Petro's policies and legacy.Days after far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella finished first in Sunday's vote with 43.7% of the vote, followed by leftist Iván Cepeda with 40.9%, Petro sat down with CBS News to discuss his alternative approach to the war on drugs.Petro defended his record on the cultivation of coca, the base material for cocaine. He called Mr. Trump's endorsement of his opponent an act of interference and accused Washington of abandoning anti-drug mission cooperation for ideological reasons. Petro warned that if the right comes to power, Colombia will see a wave of political violence.Human rights groups have found that under the Petro Administration, the membership, territorial control and violent power of organized crime groups have flourished. Petro calls out Trump on political "intervention"Mr. Trump weighed in on Colombia's election after De la Espriella won the first round. In a social media post, he gave de la Espriella his "Complete and Total Endorsement," and warned that "The results of this Election are very important to the future of Colombia and its relationship to the United States.""Our republics were founded on the principles of freedom and sovereignty," Petro said, claiming the U.S. government is siding with narco-paramilitarism, underscoring Mr. Trump's support of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted in the U.S. of trafficking and recently pardoned by Mr. Trump. Petro said friction between his administration and the White House has come "because we are progressives, because we are on the left, and because we disagree on issues like Gaza."
