Gustavo Petro Becomes Colombia’s New President
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Gustavo Petro Becomes Colombia’s New President

Photo by:   Kobby Mendez, Unsplash
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Sofía Hanna By Sofía Hanna | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Mon, 06/20/2022 - 14:40

Gustavo Petro, a former rebel and senator from Colombia, becomes the country's first leftist president. During his campaign, Petro promised to transform the country's economic system and create a new anti-oil front in the country. This is the third time that Petro has run for the presidency.

 

Petro won the Colombian elections after receiving over 50 percent of the vote, with more than 99 percent of polling stations accounted for. His opponent Rodolfo Hernández, a construction tycoon turned social media star, obtained about 47 percent of the vote and conceded victory to Petro.

 

Petro’s presidency will begin in August and will have to grapple with pressing global issues such as lack of opportunities and rising violence in the country, which have led many Colombians to emigrate to the US in the past months. The country is also facing high levels of deforestation in the Colombian Amazon, a critical barrier against climate change, and the growing threats to democracy. In addition, the new administration will have to address a growing distrust towards almost all public institutions in the country, according to the New York Times

 

"What is coming is real change, a real change. In this, we compromise existence, life itself. We are not going to betray the electorate and what they have shouted at the country; what they have shouted precisely at history is that, as of today, Colombia changes. Colombia is another," Petro told a cheering crowd at Bogota's Movistar Arena, as reported by Púbico. 

 

With this victory, Colombia obtained its first leftist President and its first black Vice President, Francia Márquez. "After 214 years, we achieved a government of the people, a popular government. The government of the people, of calloused hands, the government of ordinary people, the government of the nobodies of Colombia. We are going to protect the rights of the diverse LGBTQ+ community. We are going to protect the rights of our mother earth. To take care of biodiversity. Together we are going to eradicate structural racism," said Márquez during her speech.

 

This election could change Colombia's relationship with the US, as Petro has promised to reassess that relationship. It might also affect crucial collaborations on drugs and trade with Venezuela. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador congratulated Petro for his victory, saying that the South American country began "a new stage.”

Photo by:   Kobby Mendez, Unsplash

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