xmlns=””>Cepeda, a 63-year-old lawmaker and son of a murdered communist leader, had led some opinion polls ahead of the first round, but surveys have suggested he will face a much tougher contest now that right-leaning voters no longer have multiple options. Centrist candidates notched single-digit support.
Both Cepeda and Petro said there were possible irregularities and that they would wait for all votes to be confirmed by judges. By late on Sunday evening nearly half of ballot box tallies had been formally reviewed.
The two candidates inveighed against one another in their comments on Sunday night, with De La Espriella referring to Cepeda as Petro’s puppet, while Cepeda called his rival a “mafia fascist” and critiqued his history as a lawyer.
De La Espriella, who has legally represented controversial figures including former Venezuelan minister Alex Saab, has warned Cepeda would ensure the continuation of Petro’s economic policies, including a ban on new oil projects, which have been much criticized by establishment politicians and investors.
Cepeda, who participated in talks that produced a 2016 peace deal between the government and former FARC guerrillas, has promised to pursue peace with other armed groups to end the country’s six-decade internal conflict, an effort that has led to little progress under Petro.
He also plans to deepen reforms meant to reduce inequality and poverty, including by raising taxes on high earners, gifting 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres) to conflict victims and expanding income support for the elderly, poor families and young people.
“We will step up all our efforts starting tonight to gather and unite the forces needed to defeat Abelardo De La Espriella with a clear electoral verification,” Cepeda told supporters.
Low turnout at Sunday’s vote may give the candidates room to maneuver if they can convince more supporters to vote in the runoff on June 21. Some 58% of 41 million eligible voters cast ballots, figures from the registry office showed.
Paloma Valencia, a senator backed by former President Alvaro Uribe, had until recently been the leading right-wing candidate in the race, but she notched under 7% of votes.
She has thrown her support behind De La Espriella, as has Uribe.
