Colombia’s outgoing president Gustavo Petro accuses Trump of intervening in his country’s election Colombians are preparing for a runoff election between a far-right candidate endorsed by Donald Trump and a far-left senator. Outgoing President Gustavo Petro has accused Trump of election interference and suggested the U.S. is prioritizing ideology over cooperation in the war on drugs, potentially leading to increased political violence if the right wing candidate wins. Petro defends his administration’s approach to coca cultivation, which has seen a significant reduction in forced eradication in favor of voluntary crop substitution, though critics question the effectiveness and funding of these programs.

• Colombia faces a runoff election between a far-right outsider and a far-left senator.
• President Gustavo Petro accuses Donald Trump of election interference and ideological alignment against his progressive government.
• Petro defends his policy of reduced forced coca eradication in favor of voluntary crop substitution, while critics question its funding and effectiveness.
• Human rights groups report an increase in organized crime under Petro’s administration.
• The far-right candidate, Abelardo de la Espriella, received Trump’s endorsement and narrowly won the first round of voting.
• Petro warns of increased political violence if the right wing candidate wins, citing Colombia’s history of polarization and global manipulation campaigns.
• Critics question the government’s coca cultivation data and the delay in publishing U.N. census figures.