Colombia Votes in an Election That Tests the Legacy of Its First Leftist President

Colombians are voting in a presidential election that will test the durability of the leftist program begun by President Gustavo Petro, who is barred by the constitution from seeking a second term, The New York Times reported. The contest sets Petro's ideological successor against a rising far-right outsider and a traditional conservative.

The leading candidates are Iván Cepeda of Petro's Historic Pact, who has led in the polls since January but has not reached an outright majority, the center-right senator Paloma Valencia, and Abelardo De la Espriella, a far-right lawyer who models himself on leaders such as Argentina's Javier Milei and El Salvador's Nayib Bukele. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, a runoff is scheduled for June 21.

The outcome matters beyond ideology, reaching the country's security policy. Petro's strategy of seeking a negotiated peace with armed groups has not ended the conflict, The Japan Times reported, and some have described the campaign as a choice between continued negotiation and a more aggressive military approach.

For markets, the outcome will shape policy on oil and coal, which remain central to Colombia's export earnings, as well as on fiscal discipline and the central bank's independence. A far-right victory would point toward a sharp turn in economic orientation, while a win for Petro's successor would signal continuity.