Thousands of people took to the streets of Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sunday night to celebrate the victory of hard-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella in the country's presidential runoff election. De la Espriella, a 47-year-old millionaire lawyer who has never held public office, defeated left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda in a tight race.
Election Results and Victory Speech
With nearly all votes counted, De la Espriella secured 49.66 percent of the vote compared to Cepeda's 48.70 percent. In his victory speech, delivered on the banks of the Magdalena River, De la Espriella wore the canary yellow national football jersey that became his campaign uniform. Standing behind thick bulletproof glass alongside his vice presidential running mate, he declared, 'We are beginning a new era!' He added, 'To those who have sown violence, terror, drug trafficking, and corruption all these years: your time is up.'
Campaign Promises and Public Reaction
De la Espriella, who calls himself 'The Tiger' and his followers 'the pack,' gained popularity with his tough-on-crime rhetoric, vowing to wage war against drug-running guerrilla groups. Samuel Gomez, a 39-year-old school principal, expressed his relief: 'I am very happy and above all tomorrow I'm going to go to work very calm... calm knowing that the issue of security will be addressed again.'
Celebrations in Barranquilla
The streets of Barranquilla turned into a carnival as supporters celebrated with flares, fireworks, and flags. The victory marks a significant shift in Colombian politics, as De la Espriella, a political newcomer, defeated an established leftist senator.
