In presidential and legislative elections, Colombian voters signaled they want change, solidifying a left-wing former guerrilla member’s lead in the presidential race, and splitting the country’s Congress between right and left. Centrists, meanwhile, lost out across the board, signifying the country’s deep political divide.
With most of the results tallied on Monday morning, leftist and former M-19 guerrilla member Gustavo Petro was the definitive winner in presidential primaries, gaining double the votes of any of his competitors. The Latin American country appeared to be following a regional trend, following the tracks of countries like Chile, Peru, and Honduras that have turned away from traditional leaders in favor of alternative candidates. Election results also reflected the deep divisions in the country, with Petro’s right-wing challenger Federico “Fico” Gutierrez garnering enough support to pose a significant threat, and with Congress divided, making it difficult for whoever wins the presidential race to build a coalition. Petro received more than four million votes, with his coalition earning even more, but not a congressional majority. Gutierrez, a civil engineer who has run on job creation and has claimed to be “the opposite of Petro” garnered around two million votes. Centrist Sergio Fajardo, with a little over 700,000 votes, reflected Colombia’s deep divisions. Both candidates stand as the opposition to Petro, and in the eyes of many Colombians represent a traditional elite that historically has commanded power.
Read more here: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/14/colombia-elections-petro-takes…
