President Donald Trump congratulated conservative attorney and businessman Abelardo de la Espriella on becoming president of Colombia Monday at the White House. Yet while he holds a slim lead and is the favorite to win over left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda, authorities have yet to officially certify the result.

With 99.9% of votes counted, de la Espriella led with 49.7% to Cepeda’s 48.7%. De la Espriella, known to his supporters as «El Tigre,» dominated in the country’s mountainous interior and the vote-rich state of Antioquia, while Cepeda won in the capital Bogotá and performed well in coastal regions, following trends of recent presidential elections.

Cepeda has challenged the results, citing irregularities at thousands of polling stations. Nonetheless, overturning the election would be unprecedented in Colombian history.

If de la Espriella does hold out, it will mirror a continent-wide rightward shift seen in recent electoral results in Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru, where conservative Keiko Fujimori appears poised to win the presidency.

ANTI-CARTEL HARDLINER CHANNELS TRUMP IN BID TO END COLOMBIA’S LEFTIST ERA IN PIVOTAL ELECTION

Donald Trump congratulated de la Espriella during a signing at the White House on Monday. Trump told reporters that, «He called me last night, and he thanked me for the endorsement. He won. He won the election.» In response to a question on relations between the U.S. and Colombia, Trump asserted that things would be «Much better. It’ll be better. He’s going to be a great president.»

The election featured two candidates representing polar opposites of the Colombian political spectrum. De la Espriella, known as ‘El Tigre’ by his supporters, has enjoyed the enthusiastic backing of Donald Trump, promised a return to the law-and-order approach of former President Alvaro Uribe, and pledged an aggressive military campaign against guerrilla groups and criminal organizations, while Cepeda vowed to continue the negotiation-based strategy of Petro, a longtime political ally.

Ivan Cepeda is a longtime figure on the Colombian left, and served as senator for 12 years, following a four-year stint in the Chamber of Representatives. His father, Manuel Cepeda, was a prominent figure in the Colombian Communist Party, and was assassinated in 1994 during a particularly bloody era in Colombia’s internal conflict.

TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON COLOMBIA CRACKDOWN, CALLS PETRO ‘LUNATIC,’ VOWS TO END ALL US PAYMENTS OVER DRUGS

Colombia’s presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, of the Defensores de la Patria party, speaks behind bulletproof glass during his closing campaign rally in Medellin, Colombia on May 24, 2026. Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 31.  (Jaime Saldarriaga/AFP Via Getty Images)

The first round of the election, held on May 31, saw de la Espriella win 43.7% of the vote, to Cepeda’s 40.9%, with right-wing Senator Paloma Valencia placing a distant third, at 6.9%.

On Sunday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated de la Espriella on the result, saying, «The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States.»

Ivan Cepeda speaks during a campaign rally in Cali, Colombia, on June 6, 2026. The leftist candidate is set to face conservative attorney Abelardo De La Espriella in Colombia’s June 21 presidential runoff election. (AFP via Getty Images)

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT PETRO THREATENS MILITARY RESPONSE AFTER TRUMP WARNS COLOMBIA MAY BE NEXT TARGET

While the issues driving American and Colombian politics remain considerably distinct, de la Espriella’s insurgent outsider campaign emulated Trump’s in many ways, particularly in the sense that neither held elected nor appointed office prior to winning the presidency, launching successful campaigns almost entirely outside the existing party structure.

The defining safety and security issue set de la Espriella on a winning course, as he honed something of a strongman image to forcefully critique the Petro administration’s policy of peace through negotiation with armed groups in opposition to the Colombian government.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, left, and President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, Trump said Petro will «be next» amid escalating tensions over U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean and drug trafficking operations. (Mauro Pimentel/AFP via Getty Images; Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

It is widely believed that Petro’s negotiation-based approach and restraint with respect to military action has allowed such groups as the ELN (National Liberation Army), and various dissident elements of the FARC to regroup, boost recruitment and regain control of key territory and drug trafficking routes.

De la Espriella promised a return to an aggressive military campaign to reclaim territory from terrorist groups and cartels, and pledged to build «mega-prisons», citing the policies of El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele as a model for eradicating criminal groups.

A de la Espriella administration will also likely mark a return to free-market economics, decreased governmental intervention in the economy, and a renewed push to lower taxes.

A strengthened U.S.-Colombia relationship is also a certainty, following an era of considerable tensions between Petro and Trump, which led to a series of acrimonious social media exchanges. Historically, Colombia was the U.S.’ strongest ally in the region, but the relationship has weakened considerably under the tenure of Petro.

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Political analysts will also be closely watching the dynamic between Colombia and Venezuela.  De la Espriella is likely to follow the Trump administration’s lead in Bogotá’s approach to the new Delcy Rodriguez administration, demanding a timeline for free and fair elections, and calling on the Venezuelan government to aggressively pursue the ELN Marxist guerrilla group in border regions where it has long sought refuge, and had an allegedly close relationship with former dictator Nicolás Maduro.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

La Secretaría Ejecutiva de la Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres difundió el 22 de junio de 2026 un comunicado para reiterar que las zonas de alto riesgo en Guatemala no deben ser habitadas ni ocupadas de manera permanente. La advertencia apunta a sectores de la zona 5 de la ciudad de Guatemala, Villa Hermosa I y la zona 7 de San Miguel Petapa.

La institución indicó que permanecer en esas áreas representa una amenaza directa ante la posibilidad de deslizamientos, inundaciones u otros eventos que podrían desencadenar emergencias. También pidió atender las recomendaciones de las autoridades y evacuar de forma preventiva para resguardar la seguridad personal y familiar.

La Secretaría recordó que la prevención no solo corresponde a las instituciones del Estado, sino que requiere la participación activa y la corresponsabilidad de la ciudadanía.

El comunicado de CONRED subraya que las zonas clasificadas como de alto riesgo no deben ser habitadas ni ocupadas de manera permanente. La advertencia se dirige de forma prioritaria a quienes residen en la zona 5 de la ciudad de Guatemala, Villa Hermosa I y la zona 7 de San Miguel Petapa.

Según la institución, esas áreas han sido objeto de evaluaciones técnicas que indican la presencia de suelos inestables, pendientes pronunciadas o cercanía a cuerpos de agua, factores que incrementan la probabilidad de incidentes como deslaves o inundaciones. CONRED advirtió que la ocupación de estos lugares representa un peligro permanente para la vida de sus habitantes.

En el caso de Villa Hermosa I, las autoridades llamaron a la población a poner en práctica el principio de autoevacuación y evitar permanecer en zonas donde se han detectado condiciones de riesgo.

El comunicado menciona que el Sistema CONRED, conformado por diversas instituciones estatales, mantiene de manera constante acciones de monitoreo en las áreas vulnerables, además de la coordinación interinstitucional y la difusión de información preventiva destinada a la población.

Durante la temporada de lluvias, el Sistema CONRED refuerza los operativos de vigilancia y monitoreo en las áreas más vulnerables. El objetivo es identificar posibles situaciones de peligro y activar los protocolos de emergencia cuando sea necesario. Las acciones preventivas incluyen la difusión de alertas, la coordinación con los gobiernos locales y el despliegue de equipos para la atención de emergencias.

La institución enfatizó la necesidad de cumplir de forma estricta con las recomendaciones y medidas sugeridas. También reiteró que la reducción del riesgo de desastres es una tarea compartida y que el cumplimiento de las recomendaciones emitidas por las autoridades competentes contribuye a salvaguardar vidas y minimizar los daños en el patrimonio de las familias guatemaltecas.

El comunicado concluye con el mensaje: “La prevención es tarea de todos”, y señala que la colaboración entre instituciones y ciudadanía es fundamental para enfrentar de forma efectiva las amenazas derivadas de fenómenos naturales o condiciones del entorno.

La institución invitó a la población a mantenerse informada a través de los canales oficiales y a actuar con responsabilidad, teniendo en cuenta que la seguridad personal y colectiva depende de decisiones oportunas y del respeto a las advertencias técnicas.

FIRST ON FOX: A U.S. official involved with the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations said that Vice President JD Vance made «great progress» in the talks, adding that «foreign propaganda» spread a falsehood that the prime minister of Qatar snubbed Vance.

The U.S. official told Fox News Digital that Iranian state media originated reports of Vance being snubbed by the Qatari prime minister and Iranian leadership threatening to walk away from the negotiating table.

«The vice president and the U.S. delegation departed Switzerland today after making great progress and engaging in historic talks that lasted well into the late hours over the weekend,» a U.S. official present at the talks told Fox News Digital. «The negotiations set the framework for continued talks so that the unmatched efforts of the president can lead to a deal that’s best for the American people.»

«Those parroting foreign propaganda serve no one except the bad faith actors that want to derail negotiations,» the official added.

IRAN’S UNPRECEDENTED ‘WHOLE-REGIME’ DELEGATION AT US DEAL TALKS SIGNALS ONE GOAL: EXPERT

As Vance and White House officials deliberated a peace agreement at the Bürgenstock resort on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, a CBS poll on Sunday showed that an overwhelming 78% of Americans say that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran should come to an end.

Reports from Iranian state media created confusion about the progress of the peace talks in Switzerland, with critics alleging the Qataris snubbed Vance after Qatar’s prime minister and chief negotiator, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, walked past Vance and warmly greeted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instead. 

«The U.S. delegation had just spent hours with the Qataris and there was no need to re-greet someone having just spent hours with,» a U.S. official said. «The decision to give statements together before the meeting was done impromptu, which is why it wasn’t a staged greeting.»

Vice President JD Vance said the Iranians have agreed to allow nuclear inspectors back into their country. (Spencer Platt/AFP via Getty Images)

TRUMP AGAIN SAYS DEAL IS CLOSE, THEN CONFIRMS A LAST-MINUTE AGREEMENT WITH IRAN, BUT DETAILS STILL SECRET

In an interview today with Qatar’s official media outlet, Al Jazeera, Al Thani denied snubbing Vance, saying he had just spent hours with Vance and hadn’t yet greeted Sharif. He blamed the media for misrepresenting the encounter. «And they just made the issue too big,» he said.

Prospects of a peace agreement have already shown signs of life in the U.S., even without a final deal. The New York Times reported oil prices dipping on Monday amid expectations Vance would secure peace during the talks in Switzerland. 

Critics of Vance have been vocal in the media about the vice president’s handling of the talks, echoing a sentiment among protesters that have been supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran since the onset of hostilities earlier this year. Some critics allege that Vance is surrendering to the Iranians and that the Iranians are getting more out of the peace deal than the U.S.

The U.S. delegation, including Steve Witkoff, JD Vance and Jared Kushner, arrived in Switzerland on Sunday. (Nathan Howard/Pool/REUTERS)

FAR-LEFT NETWORK ACTIVATES TO FLY IRAN’S FLAG OVER AMERICA IN VICTORY AND WAGE A ‘SMOKELESS WAR’ ON THE US

A Fox News Digital investigation found that a network of pro-communist groups funded by Neville Roy Singham, an American-born tech tycoon living in China, supporting the Chinese Communist Party and allies, like the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been behind most of the protests that have taken place. 

In April, nonprofits in Singham’s network mobilized to protest President Donald Trump’s «criminal war,» painting blood on their hands to symbolize what they called the «genocidal threats» the administration was making against Iran. 

The Party for Socialism and Liberation, a self-declared pro-China communist group, communicated to its followers through its propaganda platform, «Liberation News,» to «keep up the pressure» in combatting the war.

Medea Benjamin (right) and Olivia DiNucci (center) of CodePink protest against the U.S. war in Iran. (Fox News Digital)

VANCE SAYS US-IRAN TALKS END WITHOUT DEAL AFTER 21 HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS

In 2017, Singham married a co-founder of CodePink, Jodie Evans, and started pouring a documented $278 million into a network of groups that fuel anti-American protests in the United States, support the People’s Republic of China and now back the Islamic Republic of Iran, a strategic partner of China and a major source of its oil imports.

Despite the coordinated propaganda defending Iran, the administration has maintained its intention to rid Iran of nuclear capabilities. For more than three months, U.S.-Israeli forces have been fighting Iranian forces, a conflict which Americans have expressed concerns about. 

Vance’s trip to Switzerland marks his second attempt to bring the conflict to an end. In April, he traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Special Peace Envoy Jared Kushner to negotiate peace. The talks failed and Vance returned home, but he has remained a key figure in finalizing a ceasefire.

Vice President JD Vance walks with Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

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His involvement with the negotiations has also led to a surge in bettors placing wagers on the vice president winning the presidency in 2028.

In March, Kalshi showed Vance being beaten out for president in 2028 by both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and California Governor Gavin Newsom. Since Vance has been facilitating the peace deal this month, he surged to the top spot for the next presidential election cycle.