The political situation in Colombia

Trump favorite declares victory: “We are beginning a new era!”

Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella looks set to win the Colombian presidential election by a narrow margin, according to international media.

– We are beginning a new era! For those who have spread violence, terror, drug trafficking and corruption for all these years, time is up, he said in a speech to supporters in the city of Barranquilla during the night.

According to still preliminary figures, with just over 99 percent of the votes counted, Abelardo de la Espriella has 49.7 percent of the support against left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda’s 48.7 percent.

The two candidates are far apart. De la Espriella, who until recently was a criminal lawyer, has no previous political experience and has been supported by US President Donald Trump. Among other things, he has run for office on a new line towards the armed groups in the country with an eye towards full-scale military confrontation.

Analysis: “El Tigre” Consolidates Latin America’s Rightward Shift

Abelardo de la Espriella, also known as “El Tigre,” emerged victorious in preliminary vote counts in Colombia’s presidential election. If the result holds up in the final count, it would further solidify the political rightward shift that South America has taken in recent years, writes Reuters’ Alexander Villegas in an analysis.

In that case, Colombia would join Peru, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama, all of which have moved away from leftist rule in recent years.

“Across the region, including Colombia, weak economies and rising crime have reshaped voters’ priorities,” writes Villegas.

de la Espriella stole the spotlight from leftist candidate Iván Cepeda by promising quick solutions to several of the country’s biggest problems, including the long-running conflict with armed groups, writes CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon.

“With the support of Donald Trump, he took advantage of the wave that brought several right-wing populist leaders to power in Latin America, where a hard line against crime has been a recurring theme.”