Becomes aimless Colombia | Comment

From Bogot

The big surprise of being Colombian elections This was undoubtedly the result obtained by Rodolfo Hernandez of the League of Anti-Corruption Leaders (27.93%), who had only intended to get an average of 10% of the vote – according to the polls – weeks before the election, and this increased until technology was reached. Tied for second place.

The Colombian community will go to the polls again on June 19 and make a decision Yes Gustavo Pedro Historical agreement or Rodolfo Hernandez Governors of the League of Anti-Corruption will succeed Ivan Duke.

With this decision, the progressive candidate Gustavo PetroIt won the first round with more than 40.52% of the vote. Election competition will not be easy Scheduled for June. Hernandez’s irritation, with 27.93%, Uribe candidate Federico Gutierrez received 23.98% of the vote. Guttierez’s defeat marked the collapse of the power structure combined with paramilitaryism and drug trafficking.

The event that Colombia is experiencing today is the event of the foreigner that Latin America is experiencing. That is to say Clear message That is what the Colombian people left behind in the referendum They do not want to continue to rule “as always”. Despite the exceptional cases of outsiders who came to power in that country, this fashionable phrase reflects popular dissatisfaction with the choice of voters for candidates outside of traditional political parties.

Just as the people of Colombia did this Sunday, the community in Costa Rica is going through a process similar to the recent arrival of Rodrigo Chavez as president. The public expresses their dissatisfaction at the polls.

Engineer, he likes to be called HernandezA candidate Speech Negotiation and dictatorship. During his campaign he had controversial views, revealing his lavish appearance when he revealed that women have no place in politics and that “women support from home”. Although he portrays himself as “change”, he is the candidate of the most backward institution in Colombia; If he rules it will depend on the political structure of the right.

Another of the election challenges is citizen participation. In yesterday’s election, 99.94% of the tables were counted 54.9% stake, The highest percentage of presidential elections since the second round of elections in 1998. Let us remember that in that case it is 62.69%. Meanwhile, in the previous elections of 2018, the turnout in both election events was approximately 53%, surpassing 50% since 1998.

It can be said that the political-electoral shift in Colombia has been going on for four years. In 2018, Pedro received nearly 42% of the vote, with more than 8 million votes out of about 20 million. This is an unprecedented event in Colombian electoral history because the left-wing candidate never received so many votes. With this Sunday’s conclusion, the political meaning of the historic agreement is integrated.

The surprising candidate seems to have the most comfortable situation for the second round. However, A rational and strategic unity of Pedro’s campaign could increase his vote Hand in hand with potential allies like Center and Green. Just as he visited Europe, he showed himself to the ruling social democracies. In this way, Hernandez can expand his base for a second round, with the understanding that “Figo” Guttierez may mobilize the support of the electorate.

Beyond the results obtained on the ballot, after June 19th Colombia will begin the transition of the eraThe claim of the youth standing in the street that politics cannot be ignored: to leave the half-century-old war and build another country, where dignity becomes a habit.

Dolores Condublo is the Director of the Election Observatory for the Permanent Conference of Latin American and Caribbean (COPPPAL) Political Parties, Professor of International Relations at the University of Salvador (USAL) and a member of the Observatory for Latin America and Political Reforms. Network of Political Scientists.