Last weekend, Colombia’s future looked set to take a sharp turn to the right. Preliminary results from the presidential election give a razor-thin lead, less than one per cent, to Trump-backed far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella. With a margin so narrow, Colombia’s National Elections Council is conducting an official recount.

Many of us who have watched the genocide in Gaza from afar over the past few years have been infuriated by the unconditional political cover and military support given to Israel by our own governments. Colombia has stood out as an exception. Its current president, Gustavo Petro, refused to normalize Israel’s actions in Gaza. He was one of the few world leaders willing to stand up for the people of Palestine. De la Espriella has pledged to restore and strengthen Colombia’s relationship with Israel “like never before.”

He has spoken of his admiration for other regional demagogues, such as Javier Milei in Argentina and Nayib Bukele in El Salvador. He will take an “iron fist” approach to crime, has promised to build mega-prisons in the rainforests modeled on El Salvador’s system, and vowed to dramatically shrink the role of the state.

Our teammates in Colombia are deeply worried by his rhetoric promising to eliminate political opponents and to imprison enemies of the “homeland”. They worry that the lives and dignity of many of their partners are now at greater risk than they have been for years, and fear the consequences for human rights work in the region.

The recount offers a sliver of hope, though the odds seem slim. Please keep Colombia, our teammates, and the communities they accompany in your thoughts. Whatever the final result, the coming months bring an uncertain future, but CPT Colombia will continue to walk alongside those whose dignity is most at risk.