Presidential election: Colombia: ex-guerrilla Petro elected new president

presidential election
Colombia: Ex-guerrilla Petro elected new president

Left-wing politician Gustavo Petro wins the presidential election in Colombia. Photo: Fernando Vergara/AP/dpa

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For the first time, a leftist moves into the presidential palace in Bogotá. The economist wants to pacify the country, tax companies more heavily and slow down the extraction of raw materials. However, the change of power could become a problem for Germany’s energy plans.

For the first time in Colombia’s recent history, a leftist has won the presidential election in Colombia. The former guerrilla and ex-mayor of the capital Bogotá, Gustavo Petro, received 50.4 percent of the votes according to the preliminary count.

The real estate entrepreneur Rodolfo Hernández received 47.3 percent in the runoff. “We are writing a new history for Colombia, for Latin America and the world,” Petro told his supporters on Sunday. “What is coming now is a real change.”

The second most populous country in South America with around 50 million inhabitants is traditionally conservative. The social divide is large, but left-wing politics has had a bad reputation so far due to the violence of guerrilla groups in decades of armed conflict.

Petro belonged to the rebel organization M-19 in the 1980s and was imprisoned for two years for illegal possession of weapons. According to his own statements, he was not involved in the bloody occupation of the Palace of Justice. In 1985, members of the M-19 took 300 people hostage in the building, including 24 constitutional judges. Several people lost their lives. During his time in the Senate, Petro exposed right-wing paramilitary ties to the government at the time. The paramilitaries are notorious for their links to drug trafficking and acts of violence against civilians.

«We will develop capitalism»

In his victory speech, Petro promoted consensus and strove to allay fears of a hard left swing. «I say frankly, we will develop capitalism. Not because we love him, but because we first have to overcome the pre-modern structures, feudalism, the new slavery, »said the economist and former member of parliament and diplomat.

The incumbent conservative President Iván Duque congratulated his future successor on the phone. “We have agreed to meet in the next few days to initiate a harmonious, institutional and transparent transition,” he wrote on Twitter. The defeated candidate also admitted defeat. “The majority of citizens who voted today voted for the other candidate,” Hernández said in a video message. “I accept the result.”

In his own words, Petro wants to pacify the country, slow down the exploitation of raw materials, promote tourism and tax companies more heavily. This could also have consequences for Germany, which wants to import more coal from Colombia in the future due to the sanctions against Russia because of the war of aggression against Ukraine.

Coal imports from Colombia in Germany very controversial

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) recently telephoned Colombian President Duque. According to a statement by the Presidential Office in Bogotá, Colombia is examining the possibility of increasing coal exports to Germany in order to strengthen its energy security.

However, coal imports from Colombia are very controversial in Germany – critics speak of “bloody coal”. For example, activists complain about human rights violations and environmental crimes around Colombia’s largest coal mine, El Cerrejón, in the north-east of the country.

The challenges for the future head of state are great: Colombia is struggling with the economic consequences of the corona pandemic, great social injustice and violence. The incumbent conservative government only implemented the peace agreement with the FARC rebels half-heartedly.

Violence is declining, especially in rural areas

For 52 years, Colombia suffered from a bloody civil war between left-wing rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and state security forces. 220,000 people died and millions were displaced. In 2016, the government signed a peace treaty with the left-wing FARC guerrillas, and hopes for an end to the armed conflict were high. But the violence is back, especially in rural areas.

Vice President-elect Francia Márquez will be Petro’s side, the first Afro-Colombian woman to take over as head of state. The human rights activist and environmentalist fought against illegal gold prospecting in the Cauca region, which was particularly affected by the violence, and was threatened several times. In 2018 she received the prestigious Goldman Prize for her commitment.

dpa

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