The coalitions banish the traditional parties and dominate the electoral campaign for the presidential elections in May
Overcome fear and commit to change. That is the great challenge that Colombia will face in the presidential elections on May 29. The traditional parties, which held power for many years, are part of history. In its place have appeared coalitions that dominate the current electoral campaign and that on March 13 will define their single candidate through an open consultation with the entire electoral body, precisely on the same day that the representatives in Congress will be elected.
Gustavo Petro, 62, who until now appears in the polls as the winner, represents left-wing populism for a good part of Colombians, something that is scary in a country that has never lived with such a government. . At the same time, the leader of the leftist coalition called the Historic Pact means for another large part of Colombians the hope of change.
The other two coalitions, the most serious opponents of Petro, still lack a clear leader, but they represent the center-left (Centro Esperanza) and the center-right (Equipo Colombia). All three, however, have the word change in their mouths. “All the parties and candidates are aware of the exasperation of the population with the persistence of violence, the difficulties of peace with the FARC, the prevailing corruption, poverty and unemployment, income inequality and urban crime. The Historical Pact – which enjoys 25% of the electorate according to current polls – defends a radical change in the model of economic development, which it considers to be the source of the problems affecting the country. The Esperanza coalition thinks of a moderate, gradualist change. And Team Colombia also believes in its necessity, but prioritizing public order as the “main factor affecting the growth of the economy.” The words correspond to Eduardo Pizarro, sociologist, professor and journalist.
Difficult in second round
Gustavo Petro seems to have the advantage according to the different polls, but to win in the first round he needs to exceed 50% over his rivals. And according to the same polls, it seems that he is not enough. He has moved between 35% and 27% and with that he would have to go to a second round in which he would be at a clear disadvantage against the coalitions. Analysts believe that to win the presidency, Gustavo Petro would have to prevail in the first round.
As a recognized leader, former mayor of Bogotá, candidate for the presidency in the last two elections, senator and with a guerrilla past in his youth, Petro has gradually gained the support of businessmen and politicians. In the same way that he is being favored by the deterioration of the economy, with unpopular signs of inflation, and the corruption scandals that appear in the opposition forces.
For Daniel Samper Pizano, writer and journalist, it is also clear that “in some sectors Petro arouses fear, while others want to join it soon because they see it as a winner. The interesting thing is that as the mosaic of support widens, the sectarianism of his so-called ‘Human Colombia’ decreases and Petro’s attitude moderates». In this sense, the applicant a few days ago was received by Pope Francis, also by Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish president, and has been the only candidate invited to the inauguration of the recently elected president of Chile, Gabriel Boric. In mid-January he met with the famous economist Thomas Piketty, who announced his support for the Historic Pact candidate. In his must of him you have to write down the last episode in which he appeared drunk at a rally in the city of Girardot. He apologized to supporters, claiming that a drink had made him feel bad after a long trip.
On the other hand, the consultations of Team Colombia, in which former mayors of Barranquilla (Alejandro Char), Bogotá (Enrique Peñalosa) and Medellín (Federico Gutiérrez), and Centro Esperanza converge, are below the Historical Pact due to the scandals that are appearing . Alex Char was exploited by statements by a former congresswoman, with whom he was unfaithful to his wife, who accuses him of buying votes. While the Esperanza Center was ignited by the march of Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate who was kidnapped by the FARC for six years. Betancourt accused the pre-candidate Alejandro Gaviria of hosting corrupt in the coalition.
The lack of a State policy that attacks the structural problems that Colombia has been experiencing for many years will be the objective of the president who succeeds Iván Duque, who will leave the Government leaving the same problems he encountered four years ago: inequality, corruption, unemployment, poverty, paramilitarism and drug trafficking. It will not be easy, in any case, to defeat the great machinery of the right that holds political and economic power.
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