The rightist Iván Duque, political ally of former president Alvaro Uribe, was chosen this Sunday as the new president of Colombia, according to the first results read by the electoral authority with 96,99% of the pools.
With 54.07% of the votes, the 41-year-old former senator beat former-guerrilla Gustavo Petro (41.72%) by a large margin in the first elections between left and right in Colombia, according to preliminary bulletins from the national registry.
Winner of the first round with 39% of the votes, Duque has a four-year political experience. Although he stood out in the Senate, he got to the parliament prompted by a closed list led by Uribe.
The president-elect now intends to restore power to the right wing, which opposes the agreement with the FARC, wants to lower taxes on businesses, and lead international pressure against the government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
I’m not going to tear down the agreements (…), there will be modifications and adjustments that will allow for a credible, sustainable and grounded peace in justice,”
said Duque.
The former senator, who also announces hardening of the conditions for dialogue with the ELN, wants the rebel leaders guilty of atrocious crimes to pay a minimum of prison and not occupy any of the ten parliamentary seats reserved for the now FARC party.
The former guerrillas have already laid down their arms and participated in the legislative elections in March, with a marginal result of 0.5% of the votes, although with the representation in Congress guaranteed by the pact.
But there are still to be clarified key aspects of the agreement such as truth and reparation for millions of victims and rural reforms that seek to avoid new conflicts.
Duke will have majorities in parliament and the support of political and economic elites.