Journal of Haiti and the Americas
Legislative in Colombia: "The progression of the left is to be qualified"
Audio 7:30 p.m.
Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro after winning the nomination of the left-wing coalition, the Pacto Historico, for next May's presidential election, in Bogota, Colombia March 13, 2022. © REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez
By: Mikaël Ponge Follow |
Mikael Ponge Follow
2 mins
Could Colombia switch to the left next May?
Historically ruled by the right, the country could experience political change during the upcoming presidential election on May 29, 2022. Yesterday, the left made a breakthrough in the legislative elections, and its leader Gustavo Petro triumphantly won the nomination of his camp for this presidential election.
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The former mayor of Bogota and ex-guerrilla, Gustavo Petro wins the nomination of the left-wing coalition, the "Pacto Historico", for the presidential election next May, during the primaries which were held yesterday, Sunday March 13, at the same time as the legislative ones.
The left-wing coalition wins at least 17 seats in the Senate, thus ahead of all the other traditional parties, and 25 seats in the Lower House, in second position behind the Liberal Party, neck and neck with the Conservatives.
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To read also: Colombia: the left makes a historic breakthrough in the legislative elections
"
The result of the left is historic, the forces of the left double in number of votes compared to all the lists of the left in the last election of
2018
", notes the specialist in Colombia,
Jacobo Grajales
, our guest.
For the professor of political science at the University of Lille, "
this progression has allowed the emergence of more diverse leadership, from civil society and social movements
", new figures who have "
succeeded in bringing together young urban voters , attracted by a left closer to that of Gabriel Boric in Chile than the left of the early 2000s with figures like Chavez or Lula
”.
But for Jacobo Grajales, this progression needs to be qualified.
"
It is historical in relation to the trajectory of the left in Colombia, historically marginalized, but we are still far from a conquest of power, the left is one force among others, relatively isolated.
And to emphasize: "
The breakthrough of the left is also a weakening of the right
" which pays for the unpopularity of outgoing President Ivan Duque.
But then could this dynamic be stopped?
The question is who will oppose Gustavo Petro, almost certain to be qualified on the evening of May 29, 2022 at the end of the first round of the presidential election, during the second round, and especially according to Jacobo Grajales who asks: "
Will the left succeed in rallying beyond the voters who voted yesterday and opening up to voters in the center who are reluctant to accept Petro's candidacy
?"
»
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