Iván Cepeda accepts Colombian election loss, alleges Trump interference

Iván Cepeda, the presidential candidate of the Pacto Histórico coalition, acknowledged his defeat in Colombia's June 2026 runoff, confirming that Abelardo De la Espriella won the presidency by a margin of just over one percentage point – roughly 251,000 votes. Cepeda said accepting the result does not silence concerns about serious irregularities and foreign meddling. He accused the United States, citing President Donald Trump, of open interference to favor De la Espriella and described the campaign as “dirty,” involving vote‑buying and media manipulation.

Cepeda emphasized that his coalition secured 12.7 million votes, the highest turnout ever for progressive forces, and pledged a “democratic, vigilant and constructive” opposition. He warned the new government against rolling back social gains and said the left would resort to peaceful civil disobedience if necessary to defend the rights of the people.