Leftist candidate and former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement Gustavo Petro received the most votes in the first round of Colombia’s presidential elections on Sunday. With about 40 percent of the vote, he still did not get a majority, so he will face the right-wing, populist businessman Rodolfo Hernández in the second round on June 19.
For a long time it was almost inconceivable in Colombia that a left-wing candidate would have a serious chance at the presidency. In the country, mainly left-wing rebel groups such as the FARC, ELN and M-19 fought for decades against right-wing governments.
After more than 96 percent of the votes had been counted on Sunday, it turned out that the right-wing Hernández received about 28 percent of the vote. He is sometimes referred to as the “Colombian Trump” because of his fierce statements and campaign style. The ex-mayor of Bucaramanga promises to fight corruption, but there is currently also a corruption investigation into himself.
The left-wing candidate Petro was once a member of the former M-19 guerrilla movement. That organization laid down its arms in 1990 and transformed itself into a political party. Petro was then mayor of the Colombian capital Bogota for some time.
Petro wants economic and social change
Petro has vowed to make significant economic and social changes if he becomes president. For example, he wants to redistribute pensions in the country, found a free public university and, more broadly, begin to address what he sees as deeply entrenched inequalities in the country. It is especially popular among young people.
Petro has been accused of wanting to copy the policies of the late former leader of neighboring Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. He himself vehemently denies this. Petro has also pledged to fully implement the 2016 peace deal with left-wing FARC rebels. He also wants to enter into new peace talks with the ELN rebels still active in parts of the country.