Colombian right wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella cast his vote on Sunday (June 21) in the country’s presidential runoff, surrounded by large crowds of supporters.

People chanted “president” and “out with Petro” as the lawyer and businessman cast his ballot in the city of Barranquilla.

The presidential runoff will determine whether the country continues on its leftist path or joins Latin America's rightward shift by electing a political outsider who has vowed to crack down on crime.

De La Espriella, 47, is proposing ending talks with armed groups and carrying out a broad military offensive against them, and boosting Colombia's oil and gas sector.

He blames Petro for the country's economic and security woes and has vowed to lower taxes and reduce the size of the state by up to 40%, but has said he will preserve Petro's 23% increase in the minimum wage, along with other popular social measures.

The Colombian ruling-coalition candidate, Ivan Cepeda, said he would recognize the runoff result after conducting "meticulous oversight" of the vote count, as he cast his vote in Bogota on Sunday (June 21).

The ruling-party coalition candidate also asked voters to behave peacefully on election day.

After a crowded first-round election produced no winner in May, voters are choosing between two runoff candidates: leftist Senator Cepeda and Abelardo De La Espriella, a right-wing lawyer and businessman with no political experience.

Cepeda, 63, is vowing to continue the policies of President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel and the country's first leftist president, which include state pension payments for the poor, union-backed labor reforms, peace talks with armed groups that have fought the state for decades and a moratorium on new oil projects.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BARRANQUILLA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND RIGHT-WING LAWYER, ABELARDO DE LA ESPRIELLA, ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION, SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS, AS PEOPLE CHANT (Spanish): “President, President”

2. DE LA ESPRIELLA GREETING PEOPLE, PUMPING FIST

3. DE LA ESPRIELLA GREETING PEOPLE, WALKING THROUGH CROWDS

4. DE LA ESPRIELLA WALKING THROUGH CROWDS, SUPPORTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “Out with Petro”

5. DE LA ESPRIELLA WALKING THROUGH CROWDS, SUPPORTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “President, President”

6. DE LA ESPRIELLA VOTING IN POLLING BOOTH

7. PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS

8. DE LA ESPRIELLA PUMPING FIST INSIDE POLLING BOOTH, HOLDING UP PAPER, SUPPORTERS CHANTING (Spanish): “President”

9. DE LA ESPRIELLA SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE AT POLLING STATION

10. DE LA ESPRIELLA SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE AT POLLING STATION, SALUTING

11. DE LA ESPRIELLA GREETING SOMEONE INSIDE POLLING STATION

12. DE LA ESPRIELLA OUTSIDE VEHICLE, SAYING TO MEDIA (Spanish): “Today democracy wins.”

13. DE LA ESPRIELLA PUMPING FIST OUTSIDE VEHICLE, GETTING INTO VEHICLE

14. DE LA ESPRIELLA DEPARTING IN VEHICLE, PEOPLE CHANTING (Spanish): “President, President”

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 21, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. LEFT-WING PACTO HISTORICO CANDIDATE IVAN CEPEDA ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION

2. SUPPORTERS HOLDING UP CAMPAIGN SIGN

3. CEPEDA GREETING SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE POLLING STATION

4. SUPPORTERS CHEERING

5. CEPEDA GREETING POLLING STATION STAFF

6. MEDIA FILMING

7. CEPEDA WALKING TO VOTING BOOTH

8. PRESS FILMING

9. CEPEDA SHOWING HIS BALLOT

10. CEPEDA CASTING HIS VOTE

11. POLICE OFFICERS

12. CEPEDA SPEAKING TO PRESS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PACTO HISTORICO CANDIDATE, IVAN CEPEDA, SAYING:

"We will recognize the result. But we will also carry out very clear, scrupulous and meticulous oversight of the result. And if there are any incidents that warrant action within the electoral system, we will take it."

14. CEPEDA SPEAKING TO PRESS

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PACTO HISTORICO CANDIDATE, IVAN CEPEDA, SAYING:

"I make an appeal for this day to unfold in a peaceful, calm manner and for democratic behavior today from everyone."

16. CAMERA CREWS FILMING

17. CEPEDA WAVING AT PRESS

18. CEPEDA LEAVING