Leftist former rebel Gustavo Petro won Colombia’s presidential runoff election Sunday over a real estate millionaire, ushering in a new era of politics in the South American country.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Former rebel Gustavo Petro narrowly won a runoff election over a political outsider millionaire Sunday, ushering in a new era of politics for Colombia by becoming the country’s first leftist president.
“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.” Polls ahead of the runoff had indicated Petro and Hernández — both former mayors — were in a tight race since they topped four other candidates in the initial May 29 election, though neither got enough votes to win outright and headed into the runoff.
He has proposed ambitious pension, tax, health and agricultural reforms and changes to how Colombia fights drug cartels and other armed groups. He obtained 40% of the votes during last month’s election and Hernández 28%, but the difference quickly narrowed as Hernández began to attract so-called anti-Petrista voters.
Hernández surged late in the first-round campaign past more conventional candidates and shocked many when he finished second. He has faced controversies including saying he admired Adolf Hitler before apologizing and saying that he meant to refer to Albert Einstein. Silvia Otero Bahamón, a political science professor at the University of Rosario, said that although both candidates are populists who “have an ideology based on the division between the corrupt elite and the people,” each sees their fight against the establishment differently.
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Slim win makes ex-rebel Colombia's first leftist presidentBOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Former rebel Gustavo Petro narrowly won a runoff election over a political outsider millionaire Sunday, ushering in a new era of politics for Colombia by becoming the country's first leftist president.
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Colombia elects ex-rebel Petro as new presidentBREAKING: Leftist Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement, is elected Colombia's next president after beating construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez in a tight race
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Colombia elects Gustavo Petro as country's first leftist presidentPetro's running mate, Francia Márquez, is set to become the country's first Black vice president.
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