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Gustavo Petro elected Colombia’s first left-wing president
Leftist Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement who has vowed profound social and economic change, will be Colombia's next president after beating construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez in an election on Sunday (June 19).
With more than 99.5 percent of votes counted, Petro — the 62-year-old former mayor of Bogota — held an unassailable lead of more than three points with around 700,000 more votes than Hernandez, 77.
Some 20 million people cast ballots nationwide. It was reported that %97 of the votes have been counted.
Petro wrote on Twitter. “Today is a celebration for the people. Let’s celebrate the first popular victory."
Hernandez said he accepted the result in a Facebook live broadcast.
The construction magnate: “I hope that Mr Gustavo Petro knows how to run the country and is faithful to his discourse against corruption."
Petro will succeed the deeply unpopular conservative Ivan Duque, who was barred by Colombia’s constitution from standing for reelection, in a country saddled with widespread poverty, a surge in violence and other woes.
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Petro added: “May so much suffering be cushioned by the joy that today floods the heart of the Homeland. This victory is for God and for the People and their history. Today is the day of the streets and squares."
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