Colombian right-wing presidential hopeful leads poll for runoff vote

Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella received a surge in voter support in the final week leading up to the first round of ​Colombia’s presidential election, nearly tying with leftist Ivan Cepeda, whom the latest poll ‌predicts he would defeat in a runoff.

An AtlasIntel poll released on Saturday, the last to be issued before the May 31 vote, put Cepeda – the ruling party’s candidate – in the lead with 38.7% of ​the vote, followed by businessman De La Espriella with 37.3%.

However, the poll estimated ​that in a potential runoff vote between the two, De La Espriella would ⁠receive 50% of the vote and Cepeda just 41.3%.

The survey was based on 4,531 ​interviews conducted between May 18 and 21. With one week to go until the election, ​De La Espriella surged by 4 percentage points from AtlasIntel’s last poll, while Cepeda gained 1 percentage point.

Paloma Valencia, of the right-wing Centro Democratico Party, trailed with 14.3% of voter intention, down by just ​over 2 percentage points. The poll predicted she would nevertheless beat Cepeda in a ​runoff with 44.6% to 41.5%.

Cepeda has pledged to continue the path set by current ‌President ⁠Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first-ever leftist president, by deepening social reforms to reduce inequality and pursuing peace talks with illegal armed groups.

De La Espriella has vowed to end negotiations and take a tough stance on crime and drug trafficking, offer incentives for private investors and entrepreneurs ​and boost the country’s ​mining and energy ⁠sectors.

Valencia promised to expand the size of the armed forces and national police, launch an offensive against criminal gangs and guerrillas, promote ​businesses and cut taxes.

The opposition’s campaign promises would mark an about-turn ​from the ⁠current administration of Petro, a former M19 rebel who stopped granting new oil and gas exploration contracts in a bid to move the country toward more sustainable energy sources.

His four-year term ends ⁠in August. ​If no candidate wins more than half the valid ​votes of the 41 million-strong electorate, a runoff between the two top candidates will be held on June ​21.

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المصدر: Egyptian Gazette