Petro, a senator in his third attempt to win the presidency, received 50.48% of the vote, while real estate mogul Rodolfo Hernandez had 47.26%, with almost all ballots counted, according to the results released. by the electoral authorities. Peter’s victory underscored a drastic change in presidential policy for a country that has long marginalized the left because of its perceived relationship to armed conflict. Petros himself was once a guerrilla with the M-19 movement that has now disintegrated and was granted amnesty 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”, Petros wrote on Twitter. “May so much suffering be softened in the joy that today floods the heart of the Homeland.” Peter called for unity in his victory speech and extended an olive branch to some of his harshest critics, saying all members of the opposition would be welcome at the presidential palace “to discuss Colombia’s problems”. “From this government that begins, there will never be political persecution or legal persecution, there will only be respect and dialogue,” he said, adding that he would listen not only to those who have taken up arms but also to this silent majority of farmers, natives, women, youth “. Outgoing Conservative President Iván Duque congratulated Petro shortly after the results were announced and Hernández quickly conceded defeat. Former rebel Gustavo Petro, left, Veronica Alcocer’s wife, back center, and Francia Marquez’s running mate, celebrate in front of supporters after winning the second round of the presidential election.AP Photo / Fernando Vergara “I accept the result, as it should be, if we want our institutions to be stable,” Hernandez 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 candidate partner, Francia Márquez, is a lawyer and environmental leader whose opposition to illegal mining has led to threats and a grenade attack in 2019. The vote came amid widespread resentment over rising inequality, inflation and violence – factors that led voters in last month’s first round of elections to turn their backs on center-right and right-wing politicians and choose two foreigners in the third most densely populated Latin America nation. Petro’s performance was the last left-wing political victory in Latin America fueled by the desire of voters for change. Chile, Peru and Honduras have elected left-wing presidents in 2021, and in Brazil, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva leads the polls for this year’s presidential election. “What I think shows is that the strategy of fear, hatred and stigma on the left no longer works as a policy to win over voters,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, a senior Colombian analyst at International Crisis Group. The confetti explodes over a screen showing photos of presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, left, and his candidate, Francia Marquez, after winning the second round of elections at their headquarters on election night in Bogota, Colombia.AP Photo / Fernando Vergara But the results were a direct cause for concern for some voters whose closest reference to a left-wing government is troubled neighboring Venezuela. “We hope that Gustavo Petro will abide by what was said in his government plan, that he will lead this country to the greatness we so desperately need, and that (he) will end corruption,” said Karin Ardila García. Hernández supporter in the north-central city of Bucaramanga. “That does not lead to communism, to socialism, to a war where they continue to kill us in Colombia. “(H) does not lead us to another Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Chile.” About 21.6 million of the 39 million eligible voters cast their ballots Sunday. Abstentions have exceeded 40% in all presidential elections since 1990. Petros, 62, will be officially declared the winner after an official count that will last a few days. Historically, the preliminary results coincide with the final ones. Several heads of state congratulated Peter on Sunday. So did a harsh critic, former President varlvaro Uribe, who remains a central figure in Colombian politics. Polls before the run-off showed that Peter and Hernandez – both former mayors – were in a tough race after beating four other candidates in the May 29 primary. Neither of them got enough votes to win definitively and went to the second round. Peter won 40% of the vote in the first round and Hernandez 28%, but the gap quickly narrowed as Hernandez began to attract so-called anti-Petrista voters. Petro has proposed ambitious pension, tax, health and agricultural reforms, as well as changes in the way Colombia fights drug cartels and other armed groups. But he will find it difficult to keep his promises, as he does not have a majority in Congress, which is the key to reform. “People who support him have high hopes and they will probably get frustrated very quickly when he can’t move things right away,” said Adam Isacson, a Colombian expert at the Washington-based think tank on Latin America. . A supporter celebrates the victory of former left-wing rebel Gustavo Petro in the second round of the presidential election in Cali, Colombia.AP Photo / Andres Quintero “I think you can find a situation where he either has to close some deals and give up a lot of his plans just to get things done or the whole country could be at a dead end,” Isacson added. Peter is eager to resume diplomatic relations with Venezuela, which were severed in 2019. He also wants to make changes to Colombia’s relations with the United States, seeking to renegotiate a free trade agreement and find new solutions to the fight against drug trafficking. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that the Biden government is looking forward to working with Peter. Hernandez, who spends his money on real estate, is not affiliated with any major political party and has rejected alliances. His lean campaign, conducted mainly on TikTok and other social media platforms, was self-funded and relied mainly on the fight against corruption, which he blames for poverty and the loss of state resources that could be used in social programs. Polls suggest most Colombians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and disapprove of Duke, who had no right to run for re-election. The pandemic has delayed the country’s anti-poverty efforts for at least a decade. Official figures show that 39% of Colombians lived on less than $ 89 a month last year. The rejection of politics as usual “is a reflection of the fact that people are bored with the same people as always,” said Nataly Amezquita, a 26-year-old civil engineer waiting to vote. “We have to create more social change. “Many people in the country are not in the best condition.” But both underdog candidates left her cold. He said he would cast a blank ballot: “I do not like either of the two candidates. “Neither of them seems like a good person.”
