Colombian migrants start voting this Tuesday for the decisive presidential runoff between progressive leader Iván Cepeda and far-right Abelardo De la Espriella, amid serious complaints of voter coercion.

The electoral booths officially opened this June 16 in approximately 66 nations to allow Colombian migrants residing abroad to exercise their constitutional right to vote. This historical process will define the new president of the South American country for the next four years.

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Social representatives called on the migrant community to mobilize extensively for this election, emphasizing the high importance of the diaspora vote. They stressed that active participation is vital to act as guardians of electoral transparency and democratic freedoms.

In this highly polarized context, diverse social voices issued an urgent call to all compatriots to vote with total calm and autonomy. They urged the electorate not to be intimidated by acts of voter coercion linked to right-wing groups.

Text reads: “The vote of Colombians abroad is already underway. During the entire week preceding general election day, citizens may exercise their right to vote in consulates and posts authorized by the @Registraduria.”

In Europe, particularly in Spain, accredited electoral observers and members of the progressive Historic Pact coalition reported serious irregularities.

Sympathizers of the far right-wing candidate, Abelardo De la Espriella, carried out intimidation tactics near voting stations. Specifically, local monitors detected illegal political advertising placed around several consulates. Furthermore, the voting process at the Colombian consulate in Bilbao, located in the Basque Country, registered a massive turnout from the very first hours of the day.

However, observers raised serious alarms regarding electoral manipulation executed by the far-right platform, Homeland Defenders (Defensores de la Patria, in Spanish). According to formal reports, right-wing supporters utilized evangelical churches to manipulate voters and operated structured vote-buying networks.

Paramilitary Threats Escalate

The official calendar for the Colombians abroad vote runs from June 15 to June 20 at various consular headquarters. This international process will conclude on June 21 at the main designated voting stations worldwide.

Meanwhile, inside the national territory, just six days before the final vote, the National Electoral Guarantees Committee received serious complaints of violence in southern sector of Bogotá.

Members of the progressive alliance, Historic Pact, denounced the appearance of illegal posters linked to active paramilitary groups in Bolívar City, which contained direct death threats against social leaders who promote the alternative political proposal.

The national leadership of Historic Pact sent all compiled evidence to the Attorney General’s Office to demand swift protection measures. They emphasized the urgent need to guarantee that citizens can vote in a completely peaceful, free environment.

This decisive second round-off follows the initial presidential election celebrated on May 31, with a preliminary count which gave the ultra-right candidate, Abelardo De la Espriella, a total of 43.74 % of the votes.

On the other hand, the progressive candidate, Iván Cepeda, representing the Historic Pact coalition, secured 40.90 % of the valid votes. Since neither candidate surpassed the 50+1, they will face each other this Sunday.

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