Explained: Who is Gustavo Petro, the former guerrilla fighter who will be Colombia’s first leftist President? | Explained News,The Indian Express
Petro's victory underlines an ongoing shift of South American politics to the left, which has seen leftist leaders secure victories in Peru last July, and in Chile and Honduras this year.
Written by Jayati Tripathi
Former rebel fighter Gustavo Petro secured 50.5% of the vote in the second round of Colombia’s presidential election held on June 19, putting himself in line to become the first leftist President of the country. Petro’s victory underlines an ongoing shift of South American politics to the left, which has seen leftist leaders secure victories in Peru last July, and in Chile and Honduras this year.
Support of the ‘TikTok generation’
In April last year, Colombia saw a series of anti-establishment protests against corruption, stagnancy, increased taxation during the pandemic, and a new health care reform.
President Iván Duque Márquez of the Democratic Centre Party was criticised for his taxation policy at a time of economic hardship, with jobs having been hit badly, and the fiscal deficit having widened. The attempt to hastily push through Bill 010, which aimed to privatise healthcare, fuelled anger. (The proposal was withdrawn after four days of massive street protests.)
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