BOGOTA, June 10 (Reuters) – Colombian right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella leads leftist rival Ivan Cepeda ahead of the June 21 runoff, according to an AtlasIntel poll published on Wednesday, underscoring the tough challenge facing the ally of President Gustavo Petro.
De la Espriella could win 52.6% of valid votes, compared with 44.8% for Cepeda, the poll showed.
The runoff will pit two sharply different visions for Colombia’s future. Cepeda has pledged to deepen Petro’s social and economic reforms and pursue peace talks with armed groups, while De la Espriella has campaigned on a security crackdown and more business-friendly policies.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
