Getty Images
Medellín, Colombia – More than 41 million Colombians are eligible to vote in this Sunday's first round presidential elections to decide who will govern the nation for the next four years. Whoever succeeds the country's first ever leftist president, Gustavo Petro, will face concurrent challenges of rising violence, an increasing public deficit, and a fragmented political climate.
Due to Colombia's constitutional rules, Petro is unable to seek reelection, yet many see this election as a referendum on the last four years of his progressive government under the Historic Pact party.
While voters will have a choice of fourteen candidates in the ballot box, three clear favourites have emerged in recent months.
Just days before Colombians head to the polling stations, most surveys place Petro's successor, Iván Cepeda, as the frontrunner.
Crucially, he vows to continue Petro's pro-worker reforms and his controversial "Total Peace" policy, which seeks to combat rising violence by negotiating directly with insurgent armed groups.
However, the tactic has had limited success with violence skyrocketing in recent months, making the first few months of 2026 the deadliest since the historic peace accord signed with the FARC rebels in 2016.
The United Nations has also warned that the integrity of the elections could be threatened by violence, especially following the assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay last year.
Related-
Colombia Puts Its Democratic Guardrails to the Test Ahead of Sunday's 2026 Presidential Elections
-
María Corina Machado Eyes Return to Venezuela — But the Road Home Runs Through Washington
-
Petro Defends Call for Dialogue After Bolivia Expels Colombian Ambassador: 'We Are Willing to Serve as Intermediaries'
Cepeda, who has 12 years' experience as a Senator, has also championed his "three revolutions" idea, promising to transform Colombia on three axes: ethical (strengthening human rights), socio-economic (tackling poverty) and political (revitalizing Colombian democracy). His progressive campaign platform also promises to create a "People's Bank" for those excluded by traditional financial institutions.
Brazil's 2026 Election: Lula–Bolsonaro Dead Heat Could Reshape South America's Political MapRead more Brazil's 2026 Election: Lula–Bolsonaro Dead Heat Could Reshape South America's Political MapWhile Cepeda is poised to win the first round, he is expected to be short of the 50% needed to win outright. In that eventuality, Sunday's elections will reveal which of the two right-wing candidates Cepeda will face in a run-off on June 21.
Trying to close the gap on the frontrunner and coming from the opposite end of the political spectrum is criminal lawyer turned hardline tough-on-crime candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. Entering the political arena last year as an independent candidate on his 'Defenders of the Homeland' platform, Espriella hopes to win over voters tired of traditional parties.
Bestowing himself with the nickname "The Tiger", the hard right hopeful has promised to construct Salvadorean style megaprisons, cut public spending and "gut" the left if elected.
His policies are not the only controversial element of his campaign. His previous legal defence of Alex Saab, a businessman linked to the Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela, as well as his recent conduct in interviews with female journalists, have both drawn sharp criticism.
Espriella also hopes to break away from the last four years with respect to international relations; while Petro and Trump have shared public disagreements over the last few months, Espriella hopes Colombia will play a central role in the United States' militaristic approach to narcotrafficking, the "Shield of the Americas".
Currently trailing behind in third place is Democratic Centre party candidate Paloma Valencia. If elected, the senator would become Colombia's first female head of state.
Her proposals include increasing military investment to address the security crisis, punishing corruption, revitalizing the health service, and restoring mining across the country.
She has also shared her 30-30 plan, promising to employ 60,000 more military and police officers.
Like her rightist rival, she also hopes to collaborate more closely with the United States to tackle drug trafficking.
Valencia, granddaughter of president Guillermo León Valencia, has held her seat as a senator for twelve years and aligns herself to controversial ex-president Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010), cementing her position as the candidate for the establishment right.
Unless one candidate achieves an unlikely majority of the vote this Sunday, the second round elections will be held in three weeks. While past results have not always coincided with pollsters' predictions, the most recent forecasts suggest de la Espriella and Cepeda are set to compete in a run-off vote.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tags: Colombia, Elections, Gustavo Petro
