Abelardo de la Espriella captured the top spot in Colombia’s May 31 first round with 43.7 percent of the vote, ahead of Iván Cepeda Castro’s 40.9 percent, according to official tallies that produced no outright majority. This plurality consolidated right-wing and independent support behind de la Espriella’s outsider profile and hardline security platform, exceeding pre-election polling averages, while Cepeda advanced as the leading left-wing contender aligned with the term-limited Petro administration. The certified results anchor trader consensus on de la Espriella as first-round winner ahead of the June 21 runoff. Formal challenges to vote counts or turnout verification could still prompt adjustments before final certification, though none have advanced.