Colombia Elects Right-Wing President Promising to Restore Ties with Israel

Colombia's right-wing candidate Abelardo De la Espriella won the country's presidential runoff election in a closely contested race, with Israel moving quickly to extend congratulations. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held a phone call with the president-elect and expressed Israel's strong desire to deepen bilateral ties between the two countries.

De la Espriella secured his victory with a margin of roughly 250,000 votes, after more than 99 percent of ballots were counted out of over 25 million valid votes cast. The narrow result reflected just how competitive the race had been, yet the outcome was clear: Colombia will be led by a right-wing president who has signaled a significant shift in the country's foreign policy direction.

During the call, Sa'ar congratulated the president-elect on his win and said the victory "inspires hope and opens the door to a better future for Colombia and its citizens." He wished De la Espriella success in his new role and emphasized "our strong desire to anchor the alliance between our two countries for the benefit of both peoples."

De la Espriella responded directly, telling Sa'ar that Colombia would "rebuild and strengthen its relations with the State of Israel as never before," and that "Israel can count on Colombia as a loyal friend and a steadfast ally." He stressed that this commitment had been part of his message throughout the election campaign. Sa'ar replied: "We will do this together, Colombia and Israel, and in a big way."

The warm exchange comes against the backdrop of badly strained relations under the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro. The left-wing incumbent significantly downgraded ties with Israel and took a strongly critical stance toward Israeli policy. De la Espriella's election is viewed in Jerusalem as a potential turning point, given his consistent pro-Israel positions during the campaign and the direct pledges he made to Sa'ar.

Both sides signaled their intent to rebuild the relationship, with Sa'ar pointing to Israel's interest in deeper diplomatic and strategic cooperation. No specific meetings or visits were announced, but the conversation suggested active efforts are expected once De la Espriella formally takes office.