With vote counting underway in Colombia, right-wing outsider Abelardo de la Espriella appears set to face veteran leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda in the second round of the presidential election. Early projections show de la Espriella with 43% of the vote and Cepeda with 42%, with half of the ballots counted.

Neither candidate is on track to clear the 50% threshold required to win outright, making a runoff likely. De la Espriella, a 47-year-old businessman, has portrayed himself as a tough crime fighter and voiced support for US President Donald Trump. His campaign style has drawn comparisons to El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele.

Ivan Cepeda, a 63-year-old left-leaning senator, has promised to expand social reforms. Incumbent President Gustavo Petro, who cannot legally seek another term, has thrown his support behind Cepeda. The candidates have campaigned on promises to tackle armed guerrilla groups, drug trafficking, inequality, and poverty, albeit with different approaches.

Cepeda, the son of a murdered communist leader, has promised to pursue peace with illegal armed groups through negotiations. De la Espriella has promised a tough offensive, including building 10 "mega-prisons," and pledged to fight poverty with education, healthcare, and social housing.

Pre-election polls had shown Cepeda with a notable lead and projected a closer three-way race involving right-wing senator Paloma Valencia, who ended up with less than 7% of the vote. Valencia conceded and said she would support de la Espriella in the June runoff.

Source: www.dw.com