Colombians cast votes for next president outside of consulate in Coral Gables
Dozens of Colombians sang, cheered and danced on the streets of Coral Gables outside the Colombian Consulate as voters cast their ballots Sunday for the country’s next president.
The top three candidates are Iván Cepeda of the leftist Historic Pact and two conservatives, Paloma Valencia of the Democratic Center and independent Abelardo De la Espriella If no candidate captures more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election is scheduled for June 21.
The winner, who is expected to take office Aug. 7, will replace term-limited President Gustavo Petro.
The election is being held amid serious concerns about violence increasingly spreading throughout the country, including the killing of a journalist, a bus bombing that left at least 21 people dead and the shooting of presidential candidate, according to reports. Much of the debate in the country has been about how to curb the violence. Critics of Petro say he has failed to address safety concerns with his plans and Cepeda, his party’s candidate, will be more of the same. Both Valencia and De la Espriella present more hardline positions.
In Coral Gables, supporters of opposition candidates Valencia and De la Espriella set up stands Sunday near the consulate, located at 280 Aragon Ave.
Oswaldo Ortiz, 42, of Miami, was one of the organizers for De la Espriella, who is nicknamed, “The Tiger.” De la Espriella’s supporters worked to rally Colombian voters to the polls in Miami, Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other major hubs, he said.
De la Espriella had very vocal support at the Coral Gables polling site. As his fans cheered and shouted, a girl dressed in a tiger costume popped out of the sunroof of a passing car. One woman danced on the corner in a blow-up costume of a person riding a tiger. Many of the voters told the Herald they voted for De la Espriella.
De la Espriella ran on the promise of saving the nation, which Ortiz said echoes United States President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again pitch to voters. De la Espriella’s campaign slogan is “Firme por la patria,” or “Steadfast for our nation.”
Alfred Santamaria of Miami was one of the organizers for Valencia. He said this is one of the more contentious Colombian elections he’s seen. Many are passionate about not voting for another candidate in the runoff if their first choice loses, he said.
Santamaria said Valencia has served as a senator since 2014 and has a proven track record of success. She hasn’t been involved in any major political scandals and has been a strong leader for over a decade.
“I like experience — 12 years of experience speaks loudly,” Santamaria said.
In South Florida, the six precincts available for voting closed at 4 p.m. Election results were expected Sunday night.
This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 6:17 PM.
