Leftwing candidate and former M19 guerrilla leader Gustavo Petro, 62, won Sunday's presidential elections in Colombia, as all polls had foreseen. But he will face 77-year-old populist Rodolfo Hernández at the runoff in three weeks, which nobody saw coming.
The 62-year-old Senator Gustavo Petro is poised to win Sunday's presidential elections in Colombia, according to all surveys, in what would be a historic turn to the left for the only NATO associate country in South America.
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva Friday celebrated the results of Datafolha's most recent survey, according to which he might win the Oct. 2 elections, even probably in the first round.
Candidates in Colombia have rounded up their campaigns over the weekend, ahead of the May 29 Presidential elections in which leftwing hopeful Gustavo Petro is expected to win, according to most polls.
Next Sunday Colombia will be voting for a new president and a last set of public opinion polls indicate that a left wing candidate, former guerrilla and ex mayor of the capital Bogotá has the most chances of succeeding current president Ivan Duque.
With less than two weeks to the first round, 29 May, of the Colombian presidency election, the undecided voters have become decisive for the outcome according to the latest opinion poll by T&SE, Technology and Electoral Services, with data collected between 23 April and 8 May, interviewing 8,000 people across the country.
The Colombian left-wing candidate, Gustavo Preto and with the most chances of becoming the next president on 29 May, has signed before a public notary a document saying that he will not expropriate private companies or assets.
Colombian voters have taken a turn for the left following Sunday's historic support for Senator Gustavo Petro, who has been singled out in recent polls as the favorite to win the May 29 presidential elections.
Colombia's President-elect Ivan Duque, who swept aside leftist Gustavo Petro in Sunday's election, pledged to unite the nation after a divisive campaign but insisted he would change a landmark peace accord with leftist rebels
The first round of presidential elections in Colombia ended with two leading candidates who will face off next Sunday: Conservative Ivan Duque led with 39% of the vote in the first round, and leftist Gustavo Petro followed with 25%. Centrist Sergio Fajardo came in third place with 23.8% of the votes, and his supporters will now help decide the run-off outcome.