Political situation in Colombia

Colombia's leftist candidate admits defeat in election

After a real nail-biter, leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda has now admitted defeat in the Colombian presidential election, AFP reports.

This means that the Trump-backed far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella will become the country's new president, with an advantage of less than one percentage point.

Previously, Cepeda said that he wanted to wait for the final result of the vote count, but with just over 99 percent of the votes counted, he says he has decided to accept the result.

Cepeda: "I am doing it to contribute to peace and dialogue"

Admitting defeat is not the same as "disavowing the truth or remaining silent," says Colombian leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda, who lost the presidential election by less than one percentage point. AFP reports.

- I have decided to accept the result of the vote count process. I am doing it to contribute to coexistence, peace and dialogue among Colombians, he told reporters.

Cepeda also accused the United States of “open and inappropriate foreign interference” in the election, after Donald Trump enthusiastically supported far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.

Cepeda also said he would reject “any attempt at authoritarian subjugation” under de la Espriella’s administration.