Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old criminal-defense lawyer known as "The Tiger," won the first round of Colombia's presidential election on May 31 with 43.74 percent of the vote. De la Espriella had never held elected office before this surprising result. Since no candidate reached 50 percent, a runoff election is scheduled for June 21 between de la Espriella and leftist senator Iván Cepeda, who received 40.90 percent. De la Espriella is a political outsider who campaigned on security, law and order, and economic liberalization. He supports closer ties with the United States and admires El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele's tough approach to crime. His opponent, Cepeda, is a sitting senator and close ally of outgoing president Gustavo Petro. Cepeda represents the leftist Historic Pact and supports Petro's "total peace" strategy of negotiating with armed groups rather than fighting them. He also advocates for greater Latin American integration and distance from Washington. The election reflects two very different visions for Colombia's future. Voter turnout reached about 58 percent, a record for a Colombian presidential first round. Over 10 million Colombians voted for de la Espriella. The runoff will likely reshape Colombia's relationship with the United States and its approach to drug trafficking. The winner will take office in August for a four-year term, facing a divided country and a fragile peace process.