Colombia gets its first left-wing president with a narrow victory for Petro in the election

Nearly 20 million Colombians voted on Sunday. Triumph Petro (62) Special. For a long time, it was almost inconceivable in Colombia that a left-wing candidate would have a serious chance at the presidency. “Today is a celebration of the people,” Petro wrote on Twitter. “Let them celebrate the victory of this first people.”

Rich businessman Hernandez (77), who became hugely popular thanks to social media, among other things, has now admitted his loss. “I hope Mr. Gustavo Petro will know how to run the country and remain loyal to his campaign against corruption,” he said in a Facebook Live broadcast. Because of his often bold statements and eccentric campaign style, Hernandez is also known as the “Colombian Trump.”

a job

Leftist Petro took his first political steps in guerrilla warfare 45 years ago, but has been following the institutional path since 1990. His election as president is considered an achievement in a country where leftist politicians have been murdered in large numbers for decades. For the millions of poor Colombians forgotten by the government in Bogotá, he embodies hope for a better future.

In Colombia, left-wing rebel groups, such as Farc, ELN and M-19, have fought right-wing governments for decades. The M-19 guerrilla movement, of which Pietro was a member, gave up its weapons in 1990 and transformed itself into a political party.

Petro was then for some time the mayor of the Colombian capital, Bogota. He has pledged to fully implement the 2016 peace deal with the left-wing FARC rebels. He also wants to enter into new peace talks with the ELN rebels who are still active in parts of the country.

It is popular with young people

Petro also pledged sweeping economic and social changes as president. It is especially popular among young people. But opponents accused him during the campaign of wanting to emulate the economically faltering policies of the former leader of neighboring Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. Petro himself denies this.