Not many years have passed since Colombia defeated narco-left guerrillas and seemed to be headed for steady prosperity. But after the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, the country of 51 million is leaning towards the left-wing populism that has plagued many Latin countries.
Former M-19 guerrilla Gustavo Petro finished first with 40% of the vote, less than the majority needed to avoid a runoff on 19 June. His rival will be Rodolfo Hernandez, a successful businessman and former mayor of Bucaramanga (2016-2019). who stood second with 28%. An eccentric 77-year-old who has a slightly fixed ideology, Mr. Hernandez advanced late in the race with skillful use of TikTok while campaigning as an outsider against the corrupt elite.
opinion | Colombia leaning towards trouble
Not many years have passed since Colombia defeated narco-left guerrillas and seemed to be headed for steady prosperity. But after the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, the country of 51 million is leaning towards the left-wing populism that has plagued many Latin countries.
Former M-19 guerrilla Gustavo Petro finished first with 40% of the vote, less than the majority needed to avoid a runoff on 19 June. His rival will be Rodolfo Hernandez, a successful businessman and former mayor of Bucaramanga (2016-2019). who stood second with 28%. An eccentric 77-year-old who has a slightly fixed ideology, Mr. Hernandez advanced late in the race with skillful use of TikTok while campaigning as an outsider against the corrupt elite.