Colombia will hold a run-off election between leftist Historical Pact leader Gustavo Petro and the independent centrist-conservative candidate Rodolfo Hernández on June 19, after the pair emerged as the top two candidates in the first round of voting.
As things stand, Colombia appears to be headed towards electing its first leftist head of state, given that Petro secured 40.3% of the votes in the first round, compared to Hernández’s 28.2%. If Petro is elected, he would bring with him the country’s first Afro-Colombian vice president, his running mate Francia Márquez.
The election results mark a decisive shift in voter sentiment. Daniela Cuellar, a senior consultant at FTI Consulting in Bogotá claims, “[The] Colombian population being tired of the traditional political class.”
Like Ireland, #Colombia has been ruled by conservative, right-wing forces since its independence
— Chris Hazzard (@ChrisHazzardSF) May 29, 2022
That looks set to change today as a huge wave of support has mobilised behind the leftist Historic Pact presidential ticket Gustavo Petro & Francia Márquez 🙌🏻🚩#EleccionesColombia pic.twitter.com/B66peQaMrZ
With rising poverty, inequality, and insecurity, all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the country witnessed widespread civilian protests against outgoing right-wing President Iván Duque last year.
Last May, Colombia saw deadly protests that saw dozens killed and hundreds injured and arrested after Duque announced a new tax hike despite a contracting economy and rising unemployment and poverty. Although Duque eventually rescinded the move after protests resulted in water, food, and gasoline shortages, citizens remain frustrated.
Petro, who was the runner-up in the 2018 presidential election, is a former member of the M-19 guerilla movement. He has batted for radical economic and social change to deal with an economy ravaged by corruption and inflation, with one of his campaign slogans calling on Colombians to “join the change.”
¡Gracias, Colombia! Somos millones los que queremos CAMBIO y estamos cerca de lograrlo. Por eso con @petrogustavo invitamos a toda Colombia a unirnos por el cambio real para el país. Un cambio por la vida, la justicia social y la estabilidad económica.
— Francia Márquez Mina (@FranciaMarquezM) May 30, 2022
¡Vamos que sí podemos!
The 62 year old senator has vowed to create a “multicolor democracy.” Furthermore, he has pledged to raise taxes on unproductive lands and halt oil and coal projects in the country, which he regards as “poisons comparable to cocaine.”
He has also promised low-cost loans to support small businesses, free public university education, redistribution of pensions, an anti narcotics policy, and improved focus on dealing with climate change, all of which have garnered him popular support.
He also plans to distance Colombia from its deep alliance with the United States, which became even closer under the Duque administration. The US has plans to invest $5 billion in Colombia between 2021 and 2023 and has even joint air force drills with the country. These engagements form part of US’ Western Strategic Framework, which seeks to counter the rising influence of China in the region.
Colombia's top vice presidential candidate, Francia Márquez, warned that the US government is meddling in the country's elections to hurt her left-wing Pacto Histórico coalition, just days before the May 29 vote.
— Benjamin Norton (@BenjaminNorton) May 29, 2022
Read more here: https://t.co/XMLwCNs79L pic.twitter.com/kgzJWIeokQ
The former Mayor has also expressed support for the 2016 peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, which ended a decades-long civil war, and has also committed to actively engaging in peace talks with the still-active National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels.
Meanwhile, businessman-turned-politician Rodolfo Hernández presents himself as an “anti-establishment outsider.” A self-proclaimed “king of Tik-Tok,” Hernández has leveraged his social media popularity to campaign for the polls. He has vowed to fight corruption and curtail privileges for the elite, as he believes that “citizens have a firm will to end corruption as a system of governance.
Ayer, en las #EleccionesColombia, casi 6 millones votaron en contra de lo que nos divide, y a favor de lo que nos une: el deseo de que Colombia sea un país sin odios, sin ladrones, sin pobreza. Un país del que nadie se quiera ir. #ColombiaEsRodolfo #RodolfoPresidente
— Ing Rodolfo Hernandez 🇨🇴! (@ingrodolfohdez) May 30, 2022
He has, however, evoked controversy over his statements expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler, which he has since called a “slip of tongue.” He has also been criticised for his misogynistic and xenophobic treatment of female Venezuelan migrants and for his stated desire to eliminate departments working on women’s affairs.
His victory has come as a surprise to many, as opinion polls had earlier predicted that Petro would face off against conservative former Mayor Fico Gutiérrez. With 23% of the votes, Gutiérrez has pushed his supporters to vote for Hernández.
Hernández has denounced Petro’s candidature, stating that it “does not suit Colombia.” Calling on his supporters to “defend democracy,” he has said Petro’s victory would be “a threat to democracy, to freedoms, to the economy.”
Colombia:
— America Elects (@AmericaElige) May 29, 2022
Gustavo Petro (PH, left to centre) and Rodolfo Hernández (LGAC, *), who have advanced to the runoff of the presidential election, won most of the departments in the country today, while third-place Federico Gutierrez won in Antioquía.#Colombia #eleccionescolombia pic.twitter.com/lVnZf9bUGx
Despite stating otherwise, Hernández is the preferred candidate of the elites, who are firmly against voting in a leftist candidate. In fact, Fernando Posada, a political scientist, has said the Colombian elite “prefer a government that offers them nothing as long as it is not Petro.”
In this polarized environment, voting on Sunday was conducted during one of the most periods in Colombia’s modern history. Over 20 countries expressed concern over a “growing threat of violence, assassination, and interference.” Historical Pact leaders claim to have received death threats while Hernández alleges that he is under “illegal surveillance.”
Nevertheless, polling closed on late Sunday with no reported incidents of violence or unrest.