Colombia celebrates first presidential round this Sunday

Colombians go to the polls this Sunday to elect the new president of the New Granada nation for the period 2026-2030, on a day in which 11 candidates are measured in the first round.

According to media reports, the voting centers operate from 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and will be open until 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT), in a process that contemplates the possibility of a second round of elections next June 21, in case no candidate exceeds the threshold of 50 percent of valid votes.

The day will be attended by 1,200 international observers, belonging to 26 organizations and missions, who will oversee the conduct of the elections in coordination with the National Electoral Council (CNE).

The national registrar, Hernán Penagos, confirmed that the electoral material has already been distributed in the 1,104 municipalities of the country and where there have been no wake-up calls regarding public order or logistics that would require a change in the planned deployment.

Participation will also be extended abroad through 3,700 voting stations in 67 countries and 116 consulates, more than the 2,600 polling stations set up in 2018, representing a significant increase in international coverage.

The contest will be defined between 11 candidates. Among the most visible are Iván Cepeda, representative of the ruling Historical Pact; lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, representative of the Colombian right, and Senator Paloma Valencia, backed by the Democratic Center.

Mazo News Team