Colombia courts affirm 2026 presidential election as voters face threats in Nariño

Colombia’s Administrative Court of Cundinamarca rejected a tutela that sought to invalidate the national vote count for the 2026 presidential election, confirming the victory of Abelardo De La Espriella over Iván Cepeda. The court found no concrete violation of fundamental rights and ruled that challenges to the results must follow specific electoral nullity procedures. The National Electoral Council had already certified De La Espriella’s win with 12,960,166 votes to Cepeda’s 12,708,312, a margin of over 250,000 votes, amid a turnout exceeding 26 million citizens.

In the department of Nariño, residents of Los Andes reported armed groups demanding a “revolution tax” of 30 million pesos from those who voted for De La Espriella. Testimonies describe intimidation by members of the Franco Benavides structure, part of the Central High Command of the FARC dissidents, who threatened voters and ordered drug‑dealers to leave the area. The incidents highlight ongoing security concerns in rural Colombia following the contested election.