Former conservative presidential candidate Paloma Valencia became the first major figure from Colombia’s traditional right wing on Sunday to rally behind Abelardo De la Espriella following the first round of the country’s presidential election.
As soon as the results confirming the right-wing populist candidate’s victory and his advance to a runoff against government-backed candidate Ivan Cepeda became known, Valencia urged her supporters to back De la Espriella in the second round on June 21.
The senator and leading figure of Uribismo, who received just over 1.6 million votes on Election Day, said the country is facing a decisive election and argued that it is necessary to prevent what she described as “neo-communism” from coming to power, referring to the political project led by Cepeda.
Her message came just minutes after the runoff field was officially set and underscored how quickly conservative sectors began reorganizing following the election results.
Related: Colombia’s New Right in the Post-Uribe Era.
Paloma Valencia calls for support for De la Espriella to defeat Ivan Cepeda in Colombia
Valencia’s endorsement of De la Espriella did not come as a surprise in political circles. Although the two candidates engaged in sharp clashes and exchanged criticism over their proposals and leadership styles throughout much of the campaign, they had reached a strategic understanding before the vote.
Both Valencia and De la Espriella publicly pledged to support whichever candidate advanced to the second round, aware that fragmentation on the right could benefit the government-backed candidate’s chances. That agreement was activated immediately once it became clear that the conservative candidate had been eliminated from the race and that De la Espriella had topped the national vote.
The speed of the endorsement also seeks to send a message of unity to center-right and Uribista voters, sectors that in recent years have shown internal divisions and difficulties in building competitive candidacies. Valencia made it clear that, in her view, the differences she had with De la Espriella during the campaign now take a back seat to the shared objective of preventing a Cepeda victory.
The position adopted by Valencia reinforces the strategy of consolidating the conservative vote around De la Espriella. Despite the severe setback suffered by the candidate, who finished well behind the top two spots, her electoral support base could become an important asset for the first-round winner.
The result also represents a challenge for traditional Uribismo. For years, that sector was the main force on Colombia’s right, but in this election it was overshadowed by De la Espriella’s rise, as he managed to capture a large share of the opposition vote and become the leading figure of the conservative bloc.
Even so, Valencia’s immediate endorsement shows that the various currents of the right appear willing to act in a coordinated manner during the final phase of the campaign. The goal is to avoid electoral fragmentation and present a united front against the government.
Former President Uribe concedes defeat, Oviedo remains silent
For his part, former President Alvaro Uribe, the leader of the party that backed Paloma Valencia, conceded defeat and joined his party’s standard-bearer, Paloma Valencia, in throwing his support behind Abelardo De la Espriella.
“Let us support Abelardo De la Espriella” to prevent Colombia from “becoming a branch of Venezuelan Chavismo,” he said in a video posted on his social media accounts.
Palabras del expresidente Álvaro Uribe. pic.twitter.com/zt3vDeGMCu
— Álvaro Uribe Vélez (@AlvaroUribeVel) May 31, 2026
Finally, Juan Daniel Oviedo, who was running for vice president on Paloma Valencia’s ticket — and who had always defended his independence from the head of his political ticket — was far more cautious and did not express support for either candidate going forward.
Oviedo, for his part, said he was entering a “period of reflection” to decide his position and that of his supporters ahead of the runoff election and regarding his personal political future in the country.
A highly polarized scenario
The June 21 runoff will pit two candidates against each other who represent profoundly different political projects. De la Espriella enters strengthened after winning the first round and demonstrating a capacity for voter mobilization greater than that predicted by most polls. Cepeda, meanwhile, secured second place and kept the government’s chances alive.
Valencia’s swift endorsement confirms that the campaign is now entering a new phase marked by polarization. While the left will rally behind Cepeda, the right is seeking to do the same around De la Espriella.
With the victory he secured on Sunday and the immediate backing of the conservative candidate, the populist leader begins the final stretch with a clear political advantage ahead of the decisive showdown that will determine who occupies the presidency for the next four years.