The lawyer and conservative candidate Abelardo de la Espriella took the lead in the first round of the Colombian presidential elections held this Sunday, according to preliminary results released by the National Registry. However, the advance of the right-wing candidate was accompanied by questions from President Gustavo Petro and the leftist candidate Iván Cepeda, who asked to wait for the official scrutiny.

With 99.99% of the tables reported, De la Espriella obtained more than 10.3 million votes, equivalent to 43.7% of the votes, while Cepeda reached close to 9.7 million, with 40.9%. Both will compete in a second round scheduled for June 21.

The day registered a participation of 57.88%, the highest in a first presidential round since the entry into force of the 1991 Constitution, in a country where voting is voluntary and abstention traditionally predominates.

When the results were known, De la Espriella celebrated his electoral performance and called on his supporters to maintain mobilization during the next three weeks of the campaign.

"More than ten million Colombians trusted 'El Tigre'. In 21 days we are going to change the history of Colombia forever," said the candidate, known by that nickname among his followers.

Petro rejects the pre-count and demands to wait for the scrutiny

Despite the preliminary results, President Gustavo Petro publicly expressed his doubts about the electoral counting system and assured that he will only recognize the final results issued by the judicial authorities during the scrutiny.

Through his social networks, the president stated that there are differences between the official electoral census and the information used by the data processing software. According to Petro, there would be inconsistencies that must be verified before validating the final result.

Iván Cepeda adopted a more moderate tone, although he also expressed concerns about the number of voters registered during the day. The Historical Pact candidate indicated that his team will review an alleged discrepancy related to the electoral roll, without presenting public evidence about the origin of these differences.

The statements contrasted with the messages issued during the day by the electoral authorities, which insisted on the transparency and normality of the process.

Political tension develops amid an environment marked by security concerns. During the campaign, De la Espriella reported threats attributed to the National Liberation Army (ELN), which is why he has participated in numerous public events protected by a bulletproof screen.

The battle for support for the second round begins

After the second round was confirmed, several eliminated candidates began to define positions. Senator Paloma Valencia, who finished in third place, immediately announced her support for De la Espriella.

For his part, the former governor and centrist candidate Sergio Fajardo assured that the million votes obtained by his movement could be decisive in defining the presidency.

Meanwhile, former senator Roy Barreras expressed his support for Cepeda and urged the leftist candidate to win the support of moderate voters to compete on equal terms in the second round.

With a highly polarized scenario and a difference of less than 700,000 votes between the two finalists, Colombia now enters an intense 21-day campaign that will define the country's political direction for the coming years. The debate on the legitimacy of the process, the support of the centrist sectors and security concerns will be key factors before Colombians return to the polls on June 21.