Sunday’s combined vote shapes the field for Colombia’s May 31 presidential election, with the right-wing Democratic Center emerging as a leading legislative force and its primary candidate, Paloma Valencia, advancing to the presidential contest — though she faces an uphill path against two frontrunners who bypassed the optional primaries entirely.
BOGOTÁ — Colombians voted Sunday for a new Congress and selected presidential candidates from three major political coalitions, with the election shadowed by government allegations of fraud at the Venezuelan border and a security alert for political violence in rural regions dominated by illegal armed groups.
With over 96% of polling stations reporting late Sunday, the ruling Historical Pact and the main opposition Democratic Center received the most Senate votes. In the House of Representatives, the Democratic Center led, followed by the Liberal, Conservative and U parties, with the Historical Pact placing fifth.
Fraud allegations at the border
Hours after polls opened, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said authorities had detected about 2,400 people allegedly attempting to enter the country through an unauthorized border crossing with Venezuela in Norte de Santander, despite announced border closures during the election.
President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-leaning head of state, described the incident as “large-scale fraud” and an “avalanche of illegal voting,” and called on the mayor of Cúcuta to act immediately. “Sixty buses have been detained, and the company responsible for bringing massive numbers of voters from across the border must be investigated immediately,” Petro wrote on X.
Hours later, Sánchez said authorities had responded and no people remained in the area. Officials opened an investigation into the transportation company, the political advertising used and the alleged suspects being identified, he said.
Petro also raised doubts about Colombia’s election software, citing the 2022 legislative elections, when his Historic Pact movement gained over 390,000 votes following a recount he attributed to the presence of election observers. Registrar General Hernán Penagos defended the computer systems, saying they are subject to international audits, and asked citizens to trust the electoral process.
The European Union deployed 40 election observers in early February and said it intended to increase the size of the delegation for the congressional vote.
Presidential primaries
Alongside the congressional ballot, more than 6 million Colombians participated in presidential primary-style consultations across three political blocs — the right, the center and the center-left — with 16 candidates competing in total. The winners will advance to the presidential election, whose first round is set for May 31.
The right-wing primary drew the broadest participation. With over 92% of votes counted, Paloma Valencia of the Democratic Center won the right-wing contest, capturing more than 82% of that bloc’s electorate.
In the center bloc, former Bogotá mayor Claudia López won after facing a relatively unknown lawyer. In the center-left contest, former Colombian ambassador to the United Kingdom Roy Barreras prevailed over former Medellín mayor Daniel Quintero.
The two candidates leading in opinion polls — Iván Cepeda of Petro’s party and far-right politician Abelardo de la Espriella — did not participate in the primaries, which are optional under Colombian election rules.
Political analyst Gabriel Cifuentes said a primary victory carries weight only if it demonstrates enough strength to compete with the frontrunners. “Whether (Paloma) Valencia can become a viable candidate will depend heavily on the vice-presidential running mate she secures, because she needs to take votes away from de la Espriella,” said Javier Garay, a professor at Externado University of Colombia, to the Associated Press.
The legislative landscape
More than 3,000 candidates competed for 285 legislative positions — 102 in the Senate and 183 in the House of Representatives — with 41.2 million eligible voters.
Petro is constitutionally barred from seeking a consecutive second term. Under his government, Congress has acted as a counterweight to his administration: lawmakers approved his pension and labor overhaul but rejected his proposed health care and tax reforms.
The right-wing opposition, influenced by former President Álvaro Uribe, sought to consolidate its legislative standing ahead of the presidential vote. The Democratic Center’s strong House showing reflects broader discontent with the current government.
“We have to improve; everything is wrong: healthcare, corruption, the economy, and insecurity,” said Patricia Mendoza, a voter in northern Bogotá.