IVAN CEPEDA, an ally of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, has questioned the result of the first round of voting in Sunday’s presidential election.

This comes after pro-Trump lawyer Aberaldo de la Espriella took the lead, setting up a run-off on June 21.

Left-winger Mr Cepeda won 41 per cent of the vote, while Mr de la Espriella won 44 per cent, according to electoral authorities.

But Mr Cepeda and Mr Petro both questioned the vote. 

The two men claimed that hundreds of thousands of votes were suspect and that foreign actors manipulated the results of the election.

Mr Cepeda said: “Only when the vote-counting commissions have fully clarified what happened will we comment on tonight’s results.” 

Colombia’s votes are counted by a private company that refuses audits.

Mr de la Espriella, who is a supporter of US President Donald Trump, said: “Let the US and democratic parties monitor this run-off election. I will lead this battle. I will be Colombia’s best warrior.”

The vote comes as the Trump administration is playing a more aggressive role in Latin America than any US government in decades, openly interfering in the domestic affairs of countries like Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and has threatened military intervention in Cuba on the back of a brutal blockade against the Caribbean nation.