On 31 May, Colombia will hold presidential elections in a highly polarised political landscape, following the legislative elections of 8 March 2026, which resulted in a fragmented Congress. Since the historic peace agreement of 2016, internal armed conflict, violence, forced displacement and narco-terrorism have continued to pose a major challenge to this Latin American state. Under the administration of Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first left-wing president, coca cultivation and cocaine production have reached record-breaking levels. Petro is ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution does not allow it. Bilateral relations between Colombia and the United States (US) have grown tense under the second Trump administration, which prioritises combating narco-terrorism, including through military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. From the EU perspective, Colombia – Latin America's fourth-largest economy – is an important partner in the region and in multilateral fora. The comprehensive EU-Colombia Trade Agreement of 2013 governs the economic relationship between the two partners. Following recent presidential election victories of centre-right or right-wing politicians in Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, Chile and Costa Rica, the question is whether Colombia could become the next important country to reinforce this trend in Latin America. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP Read more