Colombians vote in a stark choice between left and right

Loading player...
Colombians are voting in a presidential run-off election. The vote pits a leftist reformer against a right-wing political newcomer who wants to use force to combat drug cartels and rebel groups. Abelardo de la Espriella, who's backed by President Trump, has vowed to wage a full-scale military campaign in contrast to Senator Ivan Cepeda who's promising to continue the less confrontational policies of the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro.

Also in the programme: US Vice-President JD Vance describes 'great progress' in talks with Iran in Switzerland; and research that suggests men with children have better performing brains.

(Photo: A man fills out a ballot as people vote in a presidential runoff election in Colombia, June 21, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Jair Coll)
21 Jun 5PM English United Kingdom News

Other recent episodes

Favourite to replace Starmer as British PM sworn in to Parliament

As British Prime Ministerial hopeful Andy Burnham is sworn in as a Member of Parliament, we ask one of his supporters in the government when she decided Keir Starmer should go. Also in the programme: Former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan dies aged 100; and we hear…
22 Jun 5PM 47 min

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns

He has said he will stay on as UK prime minister until his successor is in place. Also on the programme: Colombia's new president promises to take a tough stance on drug traffickers and armed gangs; and Cape Verde’s World Cup fairytale continues. (Photo: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and…
22 Jun 10AM 50 min

Negotiators in talks on US-Iran peace deal

Negotiators from the United States and Iran are in Switzerland for talks aimed at turning their ceasefire into a lasting peace deal. The talks are going on despite the Iranian military saying it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again over Israel's attacks on southern Lebanon. Also in the programme:…
21 Jun 9AM 51 min

Iran says it has closed Strait of Hormuz again

Iran says it has again closed the Strait of Hormuz, in response to Israel's continued strikes on southern Lebanon which have killed at least 25 people according to Lebanese state media. The Iranian military described the attacks as a violation of Tehran's peace deal with Washington. But a US military…
20 Jun 5PM 46 min

Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade strikes despite 'ceasefire'

Could the latest violent attacks by both parties derail the tentative US-Iran peace deal? We hear from reporters on the ground in bomb-struck southern Lebanon and the Iranian capital Tehran, and ask Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer what Israel's strategy might be. Also in the programme: proposed economic reforms in Cuba…
20 Jun 9AM 48 min