00:00Colombians are set to vote in a highly polarized presidential election come June 21st.
00:05Contrary to the forecasts of most polls, celebrity lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella
00:10finished in first place in the first round of voting on Sunday. He's now well-positioned to
00:14become Colombia's next president. With more than 99% of ballots counted,
00:19de la Espriella secured 44% of the vote, while left-wing Senator Iván Cepeda received 41%.
00:25Senator Paloma Valencia trailed far behind with 7%. De la Espriella's proposals to cut government
00:32spending, lower taxes, and crack down on criminal groups have attracted investors and industries
00:36seeking a shift away from the policies pursued by President Gustavo Petro. The result also represents
00:43a setback for Colombia's traditional right and the movement of former President Álvaro Uribe,
00:48who had backed Valencia. Attention now turns to the runoff. The key question is whether
00:53De la Espriella can win the support of center-right and conservative voters
00:57in what is expected to be a very tight race.
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