admin
The main presidential contenders in Colombia wrapped up their final campaign rallies this weekend as voters prepare to decide the country’s next leader in the May 31 first-round vote. The race looks split three ways, so most eyes are already on a likely runoff in June. For voters who care about safety, the rule of law, and economic common sense, this is the moment to pay attention — and start choosing sides.
Campaign closings: who said what
Big rallies, bolder promises
Senator Iván Cepeda closed his campaign in Barranquilla with a loud pitch for more state action on social programs and a vow to fight corruption — “Caiga quien caiga, no habrá intocables,” he said. Abelardo de la Espriella, the outsider lawyer, held big events in Medellín and Bogotá, promising to “defeat communism,” slash the size of the state by up to 40 percent, build so‑called “mega‑prisons,” and get tough on drugs and crime. Senator Paloma Valencia ended her run in Bogotá pushing a security-first message for Uribista voters: more police and soldiers, restart energy projects, and rollback parts of the Petro agenda. Those are the competing visions: deepen the leftist project, a hard-right overhaul, or a conservative return to law-and-order basics.
Polls, runoff math, and ballot quirks
No clear winner in the first round
Final polls show a tight three‑way race between Cepeda, de la Espriella, and Valencia. No one is expected to clear the 50 percent needed to win outright on May 31, which means Colombians are likely to face a runoff scheduled for mid‑June. A wrinkle to watch: a withdrawn candidate who left late will still appear on some printed ballots. That kind of confusion can cost votes and hand advantage to the campaigns that organize locally. Campaigns are already positioning for both scenarios — a surprise first‑round victory or a bruising runoff where alliances matter more than slogans.
Security: violence still hangs over the campaign
Why voters care about who can deliver safety
This campaign has not been free of blood. The killing of a leading conservative pre-candidate in 2025 cast a long shadow over the race and pushed security to the top of voters’ minds. De la Espriella and Valencia are selling hard on a promise of tougher policing and stricter sentences. That message lands because many Colombians live with real fear from organized crime and coca-related violence. Any serious plan to restore order must be realistic, respect the law, and win public trust — empty tough talk won’t stop organized cartels or replace good policing and community work.
What comes next — and why conservatives should care
Choose coalitions over chaos
With a runoff likely, conservative voters face a clear choice: band together or watch the left win again by default. Abelardo de la Espriella’s “chainsaw” cuts and mega‑prisons headline a brand of populism that borrows from other countries’ playbooks; some ideas may be useful, others risky. Paloma Valencia offers a steadier conservative option centered on security and economic commonsense. And Iván Cepeda promises deeper Petro-style reforms and a symbolic “tribute” for President Petro, signaling continuity rather than healing. If Colombian conservatives want to stop another leftward swing, they need a smart, disciplined run toward June — not more infighting. Voters should turn out, study the real plans behind the slogans, and pick the path that rebuilds security, grows jobs, and restores confidence in public institutions.
