Edmundo González Urrutia congratulates De la Espriella, calls for democratic coexistence in Colombia

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia congratulated Abelardo De la Espriella on his narrow victory in Colombia's presidential runoff, urging him to prioritize governance and democratic coexistence as the country awaits official confirmation of results. With 99.99% of polling stations reported, De la Espriella leads with 49.66% of votes against Iván Cepeda's 48.70%, a margin of about 250,000 votes Source: Infobae.

Reactions in Venezuela

González Urrutia wrote on X that "the true test of leadership begins after the ballots" and called for converting electoral majorities into durable consensus Source: El Nacional. The opposition coalition Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD) also congratulated De la Espriella, expressing hope that Colombia remains an ally promoting democracy and freedom in the region Source: El Nacional. María Corina Machado celebrated the victory as a "great ally" for Venezuela's democratic transition Source: Infobae.

De la Espriella's stance on Venezuela

De la Espriella has taken a hardline stance against the Venezuelan government, vowing to handle relations through the United States and refusing direct dialogue with what he called "those criminals" Source: El Nacional. He plans to distance Bogotá from Caracas and support Venezuelan opposition forces, a shift from the outgoing Petro administration's mediation approach. The official certification of his victory is pending scrutiny by over 9,000 judges and notaries Source: Infobae.