Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella is leading Colombia's presidential election, according to reports. Incumbent Gustavo Petro, who cut ties with Israel in May 2024, trails behind.
Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has taken the lead in Colombia's presidential election, according to reports from Israel Hayom. De la Espriella, who has pledged to relocate Colombia's embassy to Jerusalem, appears to be heading for a victory over incumbent Gustavo Petro, who severed diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024.
The development follows an earlier projection reported by The Zioneer at 22:28 Sunday, which showed de la Espriella winning 50.1% of the vote based on exit polls. That projection itself built on initial coverage earlier Sunday evening, also at 22:28, when The Zioneer reported that betting markets gave de la Espriella a 90% chance of winning today's election. The consistent trend across multiple Israeli media sources has moved from a probability to a projected outcome and now to a reported lead.
As The Zioneer reported at 22:28 Sunday, de la Espriella's campaign pledges include moving Colombia's embassy to Jerusalem, a step that would reverse President Petro's May 2024 severance of diplomatic ties with Israel. Petro's policy shift had aligned Colombia with other Latin American nations critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza.
The precise margin of de la Espriella's lead and whether Petro has conceded remain open questions at this hour, pending official results or further candidate statements.
4 developments
- DevelopingFormer Colombian President Gaviria endorses de la Espriella, voices trust he will uphold the 1991 constitution
- DevelopingColombia's congressional disciplinary committee suspends President Petro pending election-interference probe
- DevelopingPeru election too close to call, winner undecided
- StrongColombian president compares Israel to Nazis, Israeli envoy Danon hits back
Source and signal
- Internal intake