Colombia Votes Sunday Under Highest Violence in 10 Years as Poll Frontrunners Split on War
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 30
Colombia Votes Sunday Under Highest Violence in 10 Years as Poll Frontrunners Split on War
8 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 30
Sunday’s presidential election has turned on security after political violence climbed to its highest level in a decade, underscored by the torture and killing of 24-year-old journalist Mateo Pérez Rueda by a Farc dissident group.
More than 50 people were also killed this week in clashes between rival Farc dissidents in Guaviare, as attacks, kidnappings, displacement and massacres surge in regions where armed groups fight over cocaine routes, illegal gold and local corruption.
Iván Cepeda, 63, leads the race with President Gustavo Petro’s backing and defends the government’s “total peace” strategy, while right-wing rivals Abelardo de la Espriella, 47, and Paloma Valencia, 48, promise a hard-line military response.
The contest remains fluid after Espriella overtook Valencia in the past two weeks, and a 21 June runoff awaits if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote.
Analysts say today’s violence is more territorially concentrated than before the 2016 Farc peace deal—Colombia’s homicide rate is about 26 per 100,000, down from a peak near 80—but state absence still leaves some regions trapped in war.
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Colombia’s May 31, 2026 Election: Unprecedented Political Violence and the Battle Over Security Policy
Overview
On May 31, 2026, Colombia holds a crucial presidential election amid the highest levels of political violence in a decade. This vote is widely seen as a referendum on President Gustavo Petro’s 'Total Peace' policy, as the country faces a severe security crisis. Armed groups have expanded their presence, fueled by record cocaine production and reduced coca eradication efforts. The surge in violence and instability has made security the central issue of the election, with candidates sharply divided over how to restore peace and address the deep-rooted challenges facing Colombia.