The elections in Colombia will be decided in a second round between Gustavo Petro and Rodolfo Hernández

Gustavo Petro, the candidate of the Historical Pact, and Rodolfo Hernández, of the League of Anti-Corruption Rulers, were the most voted candidates in the first round of the Colombian elections. The two politicians will meet again in the second round of the elections, to be held on 19 June.

At the end of the election day, candidate Gustavo Petro had obtained 40.32% of the votes, while his opponent in the second round, Rodolfo Hernández, received 28.15% of the ballots. In total, the Historical Pact candidate won just over eight and a half million votes, compared to his opponent's five and a half million.

After polling stations closed, only 45% of Colombians eligible to vote had gone to the polls. This is the lowest figure in 20 years, but remains average for a country where it is difficult to mobilise the electorate. Just over two out of every five Colombians stayed at home on Election Day, a figure that is not too far from the 47% abstention rate recorded during the first round of the 2018 elections and well below the 59% recorded in 2014. 

Gustavo Petro, former mayor of Bogotá and winner of the first round of the elections, celebrated his victory at the close of polling stations and thanked his family for their support. During a speech in the Red Room of the Hotel Tequenmada, the candidate of the Historical Pact congratulated the vice-presidential candidate, Francia Márquez, and dedicated some words to his opponent in the second round: "Corruption is not fought with phrases on TikTok, corruption is fought by risking our lives, because it is a regime of corruption that we are facing, we have risked our lives to fight against corruption. We are not here to deceive with a speech, but to put the realities on the table".

"It is not outlandish to think that the right to a pension can be built again in Colombia, it is not outlandish to think that doctors can be brought in to prevent illness, it is not outlandish to say that higher education is becoming a right, social justice is not outlandish in Colombia", he added during his celebratory speech.

For his part, the candidate of the League of Rulers Against Corruption also gave a speech after the election results were announced, in which he emphasised his party's record in the elections. "We have had a historic campaign, in which it has been the Colombian people who have been at the forefront of this democratic epic. We have achieved a historic result, a result that has shaken the foundations of the corrupt power of all recent governments.

On the second round of elections, Rodolfo Hernández added: "I am not naïve about the resistance there will be to a government determined to put an end to politicking and corruption, especially on the part of some who have felt that they are the masters of this country. But I am aware that it will be the Colombian people who will accompany me in defending the decisions I will have to take and that it will be these people who will build the victory in the second round".

Through the Immediate Reception Unit for Electoral Transparency (Uriel), 584 complaints of possible electoral irregularities or crimes have been received. A total of 506 of these complaints have been filed in Colombia, while 8 have come from Spain, 6 from the United States, 4 from Canada and the rest from other countries. In Colombia, the complaints are unevenly distributed throughout the country, with Bogotá accumulating 112; Antioquia 101; Valle del Cauca 51; Risaralda 26 and Santander 25.

Coordinator for the Americas: José Antonio Sierra.