Colombia Heads to Polls for Presidential Election
More than 41 million Colombians are eligible to vote this Sunday in a presidential election defined by a choice between continuing social programs and a shift toward conservative security policies. Leftist candidate Ivan Cepeda leads polls but likely faces a June runoff against right-wing rivals.
Over 41 million voters in Colombia will cast ballots on May 31 to decide the first round of the presidential election. Leftist Ivan Cepeda, a 63-year-old philosopher and congressman since 2010, leads polling against a divided right-wing opposition led by Abelardo De La Espriella and Paloma Valencia. The result determines the future of Latin America's fourth-largest economy.
### Leftist Platform Targets Corporate Tax Exemptions Ivan Cepeda represents the Historic Pact coalition. He has proposed tax reforms to fund expanded social programs, including broadening the tax base, implementing wealth taxes, and reducing exemptions for large companies. Cepeda also indicated he is open to leftist proposals to rewrite the national constitution. His father, a communist leader, was killed in a 1994 paramilitary attack.
