Abelardo de la Espriella, a criminal-defence lawyer endorsed by Donald Trump, has narrowly won Colombia's presidential runoff, ending the brief left-wing experiment of Gustavo Petro. With the margin under one point, his opponent is contesting tens of thousands of ballot boxes.
Since US forces captured Nicolas Maduro on 3 January 2026, deputy Delcy Rodriguez has governed Venezuela, opening the oil sector to private investors and freeing hundreds of prisoners while sidestepping the elections the constitution requires. Analysts call it 'normalization without transition.' The Trump administration, focused on stability and energy, has effectively backed Rodriguez over Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado, who now vows to run for president.
Far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella led Colombia's 31 May first round with 43.74% to leftist senator Iván Cepeda's 40.90%, forcing a 21 June runoff. President Gustavo Petro refused to accept the preliminary tally, alleging the vote contractor altered software and inflated the rolls; officials say he has no power to reject results. The race will steer security policy, Total Peace and frayed ties with Washington.