Businessman and right-wing politician Abelardo de la Espriella won the second round of Colombia's presidential elections, which took place on June 21, Reuters and AFP reported.

According to preliminary results, after nearly all ballots were counted, de la Espriella received 49,65% of the vote. His opponent, Iván Cepeda, candidate of the ruling Historic Pact party, trailed by approximately 246 000 votes, receiving 48,70%.

On August 7, the winner will replace Gustavo Petro, who, according to the country's constitution, was not allowed to run for a second term.

De la Espriella's election platform emphasized economic deregulation. His opponent, Iván Cepeda, advocated for large-scale social reforms.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated de la Espriella on his victory and called him the "president-elect" of Colombia. According to Rubio, the US side looks forward to developing cooperation with the incoming administration in a number of bilateral areas, including economic ties and regional security.