Leftist candidate Cepeda concedes defeat in Colombia's initial presidential election round.

Abelardo De La Espriella, a conservative attorney, is set to compete against Ivan Cepeda in a presidential runoff scheduled for June 21 in Colombia, following Cepeda's concession of defeat after the initial election round on Sunday.

Defenders of the Homeland's De La Espriella secured 43.7% of the vote, emerging as a surprise outsider in Colombia's presidential election, whereas Cepeda trailed closely with 40.9% after ballot counts were finalized nationwide.

Cepeda initially questioned the outcome, pointing out discrepancies in voter registration and potential anomalies affecting over 800,000 identification documents, before conceding a lack of concrete evidence for wrongdoing.

Cepeda's concession was a prerequisite for the right-wing candidate to participate in the televised debate, following last week's pivotal presidential election round outcome.

Cepeda, a presidential hopeful for the Historic Pact and the Alliance for Life, made a statement on his X platform, confirming that he accepts the outcome of Colombia's initial presidential election round once all votes have been tallied.

Security is a top priority for De La Espriella, who wants to shrink government and stimulate economic growth in Colombia's presidential election.

Cepeda has vowed to take a firm stance against crime, focusing on combating narcotics trafficking, dismantling illicit armed organizations, and constructing ten massive correctional facilities. His plan also involves bolstering Colombia's military capabilities.

A 63-year-old philosopher and congressman since 2010, Cepeda, has made a commitment to build upon existing social initiatives aimed at diminishing poverty and inequality, while fostering open communication with outlawed militias in Colombia. His father's tragic assassination in Bogota by paramilitaries in 1994 still resonates deeply within him.

Preliminary polls indicate that Cepeda may struggle more intensely in the next stage, given the reduced number of options for conservative voters.

Voter participation in the initial round was surprisingly subdued, with approximately 58% of eligible citizens casting their ballots nationwide.