Colombia elections today: Gustavo Petro, a former rebel, was elected Colombia’s first leftist president on Sunday, ushering in a new political era for Colombia by becoming the country’s first leftist president.
The former rebel won 50.4% of the vote on Sunday, narrowly defeating populist business magnate Rodolfo Hernandez in a foreign election. Among its campaign promises, the Petro is committed to addressing deep social and economic inequalities in traditionally conservative Colombia, where successive governments have focused primarily on addressing insecurity and violence associated with the country’s nearly six-decade-long armed conflict.
Petro’s victory represents a dramatic shift in the president’s politics for a country that has long sided with the left because of its perceived connection to armed conflict. Petro himself was once an insurgent with the now-defunct M-19 movement and was pardoned after being jailed for his involvement with the group.
“Today is a day of celebration for the people. Let them celebrate the first popular victory,” Petro tweeted. “May so many sufferings be cushioned in the joy that today floods the heart of the Homeland.”
Colombia elections: Latin America leftist leaders praise Petro win
Outgoing conservative president Iván Duque congratulated Petro shortly after the results were announced, and Hernández quickly conceded his defeat.
“I accept the result, as it should be, if we want our institutions to be firm,” Hernández said in a video on social media. “I sincerely hope that this decision is beneficial for everyone.”
Colombia also elected its first black woman as vice president. Petro’s executive mate, Francia Márquez, is a lawyer and environmental leader who opposes illegal mining which has led to threats and a grenade attack in 2019.
About 21.6 million of the 39 million eligible voters cast their ballots on Sunday. Abstractism has been above 40% in every presidential election since 1990.
Petro, 62, will be officially declared the winner after an official counting of votes lasting several days. Historically, preliminary results have coincided with final results.
Several heads of state congratulated the Petro on Sunday. So does a scathing critic, former President Álvaro Uribe, who remains a central figure in Colombian politics.