Preliminary tally sparks protests in Bogotá as authorities stress the count is not yet legally binding.
Protests and public disturbances broke out in Bogotá on Sunday night after Defensores de la Patria candidate Abelardo de la Espriella declared himself Colombia’s next president based on the preliminary count of the presidential runoff election.
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Videos circulating on social media showed traffic brought to a standstill in several key areas of the capital as demonstrators blocked roads, burned tires and clashed with members of the Dialogue and Public Order Maintenance Unit (UNDMO).
President Gustavo Petro urged police to arrest anyone responsible for acts of violence that interfere with the electoral count and called for calm among those dissatisfied with the preliminary outcome.
“Let us not fall into the trap of violence and let us remain united so that the country does not move backward. Peace is essential today.”
Petro also noted that other large demonstrations held across the city had taken place peacefully.
With 99.99 percent of polling stations reporting in the preliminary count, De la Espriella received 49.66 percent of the vote, while Historic Pact candidate Iván Cepeda secured 48.70 percent. The difference between the two candidates stands at 0.96 percentage points. The preliminary tally is neither official nor legally binding.
De la Espriella se proclama presidente sin esperar el escrutinio en Colombia
El ultraderechista Abelardo de la Espriella, candidato de Defensores de la Patria, se autoproclamó presidente de Colombia la noche del domingo en Barranquilla, antes de conocerse el escrutinio…
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) June 22, 2026
Text Reads: De la Espriella Declares Himself President Without Waiting for the Vote Count in Colombia
The far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, from the Defenders of the Fatherland party, proclaimed himself president of Colombia on Sunday night in Barranquilla, before the official vote count was known. Addressing his followers, he declared: “Colombia, here is your tiger, here is your president!”.
Speaking from the Ventana del Mundo monument in the industrial district of Barranquilla, De la Espriella announced what he described as his electoral victory.
“I appear before you tonight to announce the most important news of my life: the Colombian people have entrusted me with the highest honor of serving as their next president.”
He also pledged “absolute loyalty to the Constitution.”
“I swear to protect it from those who seek to replace the rule of law with tyranny. And I swear to defend it against those who, usurping the name of the people, seek to strip them of their freedoms.”
The far-right politician and businessman also said his government would represent all Colombians, regardless of how they voted.
“There will be no winners or losers. There will be no retaliation and no persecution, because in a democracy there are no irreconcilable enemies. There are fellow citizens who think differently but have exactly the same rights as we do.”
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to De la Espriella’s self-proclamation on his Truth Social account, posting: “He won, and by a lot.”
Trump had previously voiced support for De la Espriella in June, stating:
“The results of these elections are crucial for Colombia’s future and its relationship with the United States. If Abelardo wins, thanks to his competence and love for his country, Colombia will have the full support and strength of the United States.”
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