Christian Robles-Baez is a PhD candidate in history at Stanford University.
Colombians have elected a left-wing president for the very first time in the country’s history. Now Gustavo Petro and his vice president, Francia Márquez, face the challenge of carrying out their reform agenda against fierce conservative opposition.
Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro faces a runoff against a far-right populist, Rodolfo Hernández, for Colombia’s presidency. Predictably, the traditional establishment is lining up to support his self-styled “antiestablishment” opponent.
Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro is still leading the polls ahead of this month’s Colombian presidential election. If he succeeds, Petro will have to overcome the dark legacy of Colombia’s hard-right oligarchy and a shameful history of US intervention.