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Gustavo Petro, the front-runner for Colombia’s May presidential election, secured the nomination of the left-wing Historic Pact coalition on Sunday during voting in primaries.
Centrist Sergio Fajardo and right-winger Federico Gutierrez, both former mayors of Colombia’s second city Medellin, also secured nominations from their respective coalitions.
Petro, a former guerrilla in the M-19 rebel group, and Gutierrez, a civil engineer, both polled well ahead of their coalition rivals.
In the Historic Pact primary, Petro won more than 80% – some 3.5 million votes – with around 80% of precincts reporting. Gutierrez won more than 54% – some 1.7 million ballots – in the primary for a coalition representing a sector of Colombia’s right-wing, with about 80% counted.
The contest for the centrist grouping was much closer. Fajardo, a mathematician, won just under 33% – or close to 590,000 votes – with 80% counted.
Voters also cast ballots for 108 senator and 187 lower house seats.
Colombia’s congress has been split amongst myriad parties in recent elections, forcing presidents to build big-tent coalitions in order to pass legislation. Complete legislative results are expected on Monday.
Incumbent President Ivan Duque’s right-wing Democratic Center party has already selected Oscar Ivan Zuluaga as its presidential candidate.
Petro lost to Duque – whose term ends in August – in the second round the 2018 presidential election.
Some voters at a polling place in the south of capital city Bogota told Reuters they voted for Petro, also a former senator, in the hopes of seeing job creation.
“I want us to have more work, for it to be easier to get a formal job,” said unemployed Petro backer Alberto Lopez, 31.
Others said an eventual centrist victory could help counteract polarisation.
“We cannot continue to be caught between Petro and…
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Source : france24
