Colombians voted in the first round of a presidential election, with the outcome determining whether a runoff will be held. The election is being presented as a test of President Gustavo Petro’s agenda. Petro, a former member of Colombia’s M-19 guerrilla group, has engaged in peace negotiations with rebel groups and pursued social and economic reforms including labor law changes.

According to France24, the vote on Sunday has been cast as a referendum on Petro’s policies. The Guardian reported that the election comes 10 years after Colombia signed a peace pact with the Farc. In southern Colombia, rebels turned in large quantities of weapons, and one table holding them collapsed in the mud, according to Gdelt. A ceremony was designed to show that the government's quest to disarm drug-trafficking guerrillas is finally paying off, Gdelt reported.

Polls predict that Abelardo de la Espriella will be a candidate in the presidential runoff, according to Gdelt. Paloma Valencia held a campaign rally in Bogota on May 24, 2026. Cepeda’s supporters held a banner at a rally in Bogota on May 22, 2026. Abelardo de la Espriella addressed supporters from a bulletproof booth at a rally in Bogota on May 20, 2026. Petro’s supporters are campaigning to continue his policies, according to Presstv. Presstv reported that Colombia has one week left to decide its future in a presidential runoff.