27/06/2026 09:30 - Internacionales
On June 21, 2026, Colombia defined its future in a second electoral round that left the country clearly divided. According to data released by media such as BBC Mundo, right-wing candidate Abelardo De la Espriella obtained 49.66% of the votes (approximately 12,960,166 ballots), surpassing left-wing senator Iván Cepeda by a minimum margin, who garnered 48.70% (12,708,312 votes). The difference was less than one percentage point.
While outgoing Vice President Francia Márquez publicly acknowledged the result and wished success to the new leader, current President Gustavo Petro has not accepted the defeat, questioning the transparency of the process, as reported by Infobae. De la Espriella will assume the presidency on August 7.
The government program of the president-elect marks a total rupture with the Petro administration. De la Espriella promises a strong reduction of the State (up to 40%), tax cuts, and a decided bet on the energy sector, including the reactivation of fracking and new oil exploration rounds.
Alberto Bernal, chief economist at XP Investments, synthesized the magnitude of the change in a dialogue with Ámbito: Petro and De la Espriella are like water and oil. It is like Milei and Cristina in Argentina. The analyst anticipates that the new government could implement measures similar to the Argentine ones, such as an 'economic efficiency czar,' and focus on improving the business climate.
For Argentina, the change of command in Bogotá has both political and commercial readings. During Petro's government, diplomatic relations with Javier Milei were tense. With De la Espriella's arrival, greater ideological affinity is expected to unblock political dialogues.
However, commercially, analysts do not anticipate an immediate turnaround. Federico Bernini, a specialist in international trade, explained to Ámbito that the exchange remained stable despite political friction. In 2025, Argentina had a trade surplus with Colombia of USD 602 million (exports of USD 917 million and imports of USD 315 million).
| Sector | Impact |
|---|---|
| Argentine Exports | Cars and pickups (50%), barley, soy and sunflower oils. |
| Colombian Imports | Fuels, coffee, coconut oil. |
| Challenge 2026 | If the Colombian adjustment cools demand, imports could fall. |
The expectation is that a better bilateral relationship will facilitate sector negotiations, although trade flow will depend more on the Colombian economic cycle than on political affinity.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
