LatinNews Daily - 25 June 2026

*The left-wing continuity candidate in Colombia’s 21 June presidential run-off election, Iván Cepeda (Pacto Histórico), has conceded defeat to his far-right rival, Abelardo de la Espriella (Defensores de la Patria). Cepeda, who had initially said that he would challenge some 33,000 voting tally sheets amid claims of fraud that were also pushed by President Gustavo Petro, said that he was conceding because “we believe deeply in democracy and because we’re convinced that political differences must be resolved through citizen participation, respect for institutions, and public deliberation”. Petro, however, continued to argue yesterday that the election should be annulled due to “foreign intervention” by US President Donald Trump, who endorsed De la Espriella ahead of the run-off and has offered to support his incoming administration.