Ask Onix
Colombia heads to polls in high-stakes presidential race
Colombians began casting ballots Sunday to elect a new president, a vote that could reshape the nation's foreign alliances and its approach to escalating drug-related violence. Polls opened at 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and will close at 16:00, with no candidate expected to secure an outright majority, setting the stage for a runoff on 21 June.
Key candidates and their visions
Outgoing left-wing President Gustavo Petro, barred from seeking re-election, has endorsed Iván Cepeda, his preferred successor. Cepeda has pledged to continue Petro's "total peace" policy, which aims to negotiate with armed groups involved in drug trafficking-though recent talks have collapsed, and violence has surged.
Challenging Cepeda are right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and conservative senator Paloma Valencia, both of whom have promised a military crackdown on criminal organizations if elected. De la Espriella and Valencia have also signaled a desire to restore Colombia's close security partnership with the United States.
Violence and security concerns
The election unfolds against a backdrop of rising political violence. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that armed conflict in Colombia last year inflicted the highest civilian toll in a decade. Just hours before voting began, authorities in the northern Cesar region relocated a polling station after a drone attack injured a soldier.
The Electoral Observation Mission warned that over a quarter of Colombia's municipalities face some risk of violence during the election. More than 408,000 soldiers and police have been deployed to secure the vote, the defense ministry said.
"This vote will determine where Colombia is headed and define the country's destiny,"
President Gustavo Petro, addressing supporters in Bogotá
US-Colombia relations at a crossroads
The election's outcome could shift Colombia's foreign policy, particularly its relationship with the United States. Petro has repeatedly criticized American intervention in the region, insisting Colombia should not be a "vassal state" to Washington. Despite the rhetoric, bilateral anti-drug cooperation has continued, even during periods of heightened tension.
US President Donald Trump has accused Petro of failing to curb cocaine trafficking, at one point calling him "a sick man who likes selling cocaine to the United States" and suggesting he could face military intervention. Petro countered that his administration has seized record amounts of drugs, though the UN's 2025 World Drug Report noted cocaine production reached all-time highs under his leadership-a claim Petro disputes.
Relations appeared to thaw in February when the two leaders met at the White House, with Trump later describing Petro as "terrific."
Regional implications
The capture of Venezuela's former President Nicolás Maduro by US forces in January has left Petro as one of the few remaining left-wing leaders in Latin America not aligned with Trump's administration. Analysts say the next Colombian president will face pressure to either deepen ties with Washington or pursue a more independent foreign policy.
