Presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella cast his vote in Barranquilla on Sunday, June 21, 2026 [1].
This act of civic participation comes as Colombia decides its next leader in the high-stakes second round of the presidential election. The presence of the candidates at the polls serves as a call for voter turnout in a polarized political climate.
De la Espriella, representing the Defensores de la Patria movement, arrived at the Colegio La Enseñanza polling station in the northern sector of Barranquilla [2]. He exercised his right to vote within the first hour of the polls opening [3]. The candidate appeared before a crowd of supporters while wearing a national football team jersey [3].
"Hoy se juega el partido más importante de Colombia," de la Espriella said [4].
While the presidential candidate voted in Barranquilla, his vice-presidential running mate, José Manuel Restrepo, cast his ballot in Bogotá [5]. Restrepo voted in the northern sector of the capital city [6].
The second-round election is the final step in determining the presidency. Both candidates emphasized the importance of fulfilling their civic duty to ensure the legitimacy of the democratic process [7].
Throughout the morning, polling stations across the country saw varying levels of activity. In Barranquilla, the presence of de la Espriella drew significant crowds to the Colegio La Enseñanza site [2].
“"Hoy se juega el partido más importante de Colombia"”
The public nature of the candidates' voting acts—specifically the use of national sports attire by de la Espriella—is a strategic effort to blend political identity with national pride. By voting in different major cities, the Defensores de la Patria ticket demonstrates a geographic reach across Colombia's primary urban centers of Barranquilla and Bogotá during the final stage of the electoral cycle.
