Colombian right-wing presidential hopeful leads poll for runoff vote

Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella received ​a surge in voter support in the ​final week leading up to the first ‌round of ​Colombia's presidential election, nearly tying with leftist Ivan Cepeda, whom the latest poll predicts he would defeat in a runoff. An AtlasIntel poll released on Saturday, the ‌last to be issued before the May 31 vote, put Cepeda - the ruling party's candidate - in the lead with 38.7% of the vote, followed by businessman De La Espriella with 37.3%. However, the poll estimated that in a potential runoff vote between ‌the two, De La Espriella would receive 50% of the vote and Cepeda just 41.3%.

The survey was ‌based on 4,531 interviews conducted between May 18 and 21. With one week to go until the election, De La Espriella surged by 4 percentage points from AtlasIntel's last poll, while Cepeda gained 1 percentage point. Paloma Valencia, of the right-wing Centro Democratico Party, trailed with 14.3% of ⁠voter ​intention, down by just over ⁠2 percentage points. The poll predicted she would nevertheless beat Cepeda in a runoff with 44.6% to 41.5%.

CONTRASTING VISIONS FOR COLOMBIA Cepeda has pledged ⁠to continue the path set by current President Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first-ever leftist president, by deepening social reforms to reduce inequality and ​pursuing peace talks with illegal armed groups. De La Espriella has vowed to end negotiations and take a tough ⁠stance on crime and drug trafficking, offer incentives for private investors and entrepreneurs and boost the country's mining and energy sectors.

Valencia promised to expand ⁠the ​size of the armed forces and national police, launch an offensive against criminal gangs and guerrillas, promote businesses and cut taxes. The opposition's campaign promises would mark an about-turn from the current administration of Petro, a former ⁠M19 rebel who stopped granting new oil and gas exploration contracts in a bid to move the country toward more ⁠sustainable energy sources. His four-year ⁠term ends in August. If no candidate wins more than half the valid votes of the 41 million-strong electorate, a runoff between the two top candidates will be held ‌on June ‌21.

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