Colombia Shifts Right: Lawyer De la Espriella Defeats Leftist in Runoff

Nationalist lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella narrowly won Colombia's presidential runoff Sunday against leftist Senator Iván Cepeda, ending Gustavo Petro's four-year leftward shift. De la Espriella's pro-US stance on trade, narcotics enforcement, and Venezuela positions Colombia as Washington's key regional security partner once more. Taking office in August, he faces a fractured congress that will slow any dismantling of Petro's labor and pension reforms.