Colombia’s Cepeda concedes after de la Espriella’s 0.96-point win
What’s next: De la Espriella takes office on Aug. 7 and has already moved closer to the Trump administration on regional security.
Colombian left-wing candidate Iván Cepeda conceded the presidential runoff on Wednesday, three days after preliminary results showed right-wing businessman Abelardo de la Espriella ahead by 0.96 percentage points. Cepeda had initially said he would wait for the legally binding final count, which is still under way, but said he accepted the outcome as an act of democratic responsibility. He also criticized President Donald Trump’s backing of de la Espriella during the campaign. As runner-up, Cepeda is entitled to a Senate seat and said he would lead a vigilant opposition. De la Espriella, who is due to be sworn in on Aug. 7, has signaled warmer ties with Washington and said Colombia would accept an invitation to join the US-led Shield of the Americas alliance against cartels and drug trafficking.