Colombian presidential candidate Iván Cepeda. Photo from May 2026. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez Left-wing senator Iván Cepeda, candidate for president of Colombia and supported by President Gustavo Petro, recognized on Sunday (7) the results of the elections held a week earlier, on May 31st. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp "Since the beginning of the electoral campaign, I have strictly respected the democratic rules and the transparency with which public opinion must be informed about compliance with them. In my capacity as presidential candidate for the Historic Pact and the Alliance for Life, I inform public opinion that, once the counting of votes has been completed, I recognize the results of the first round of the presidential election", said Cepeda in a statement on the social network X. The vote determined that Iván Cepeda will contest the 2nd round — on June 21 — against the right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. According to the Colombian electoral authority, Cepeda finished the count behind Espriella, with 40.90% of the votes, against 43.7% for his rival, according to the Colombian electoral authority. Cepeda's refusal to accept the results of the elections so far occurred because the result contradicted expectations before the vote, in which Cepeda was tipped at some point to even win the election in the 1st round. His campaign, however, lost momentum in the days before the vote. Petro also refused to accept the count, and had not reversed his position until the last update of this report. Now on g1 READ ALSO: Election in Colombia opposes left-wing reforms to right-wing security proposals Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, says he does not accept initial election counts Understand the discomfort between James Rodríguez and the president of Colombia on the eve of the World Cup