Tight Colombian runoff pits former rebel, millionaire
By Regina Garcia Cano and Astrid Suarez?|?AP
June 19, 2022 at 12:02 a.m. EDT
A child sits in the “Rodolfoneta” holding a national flag during a caravan showing support for presidential candidate Rodolfo Hernandez a day ahead of the country’s presidential run-off, in Bucaramanga, Colombia, Saturday, June 18, 2022. Polls show rival Gustavo Petro and Hernandez, both former mayors, practically tied since advancing to the June 19th runoff following the first-round election in which they beat four other candidates. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
BOGOTA, Colombia — Voters in Colombia will choose between a former rebel and an unpredictable millionaire Sunday when they vote in a presidential runoff that promises to reshape the country after a first round election that punished the political class.
Polls show leftist Gustavo Petro and outsider Rodolfo Hernández — both former mayors — practically tied since topping four other candidates in the initial May 29 election in which neither received enough votes to win outright, forcing the runoff. About 39 million people are eligible to vote Sunday, but abstentionism has been above 40% in every presidential election since 1990.
Colombians are voting amid widespread discontent over rising inequality, inflation and violence. The dissatisfaction with the country’s conditions is such that in the first round voters turned their backs on the long-governing centrist and right-leaning politicians and chose two outsiders.
Petro, a 62-year-old senator, is in his third presidential campaign. A Petro victory would put an end to voters’ long-held marginalization of the left due to its perceived association with the nation’s armed conflict. Petro was once a rebel with the now-defunct M-19 movement and was granted amnesty after being jailed for his involvement with the group.
More:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/tight-colombian-runoff-pits-former-rebel-millionaire/2022/06/19/b44d030c-ef84-11ec-9f90-79df1fb28296_story.html
