Colombia leftist Petro goes to second round with businessman Hernandez

BOGOTA, May 29 (Reuters) – Colombian leftist Gustavo Petro came out on top in the first round of the Andean country’s presidential election on Sunday and will face a surprise contender – businessman Rodolfo Hernandez – in a second round on June 19.

Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement who has vowed profound economic and social change, had 40.3% of votes, national registry office tallies showed, with 96.2% of ballot boxes counted.

Hernandez, the septuagenarian former mayor of Bucaramanga, won 28.1%.

Petro, a 62-year-old former mayor of Bogota, had consistently led opinion polls on promises to redistribute pensions, offer free public university and battle deep inequality. read more

He has promised to fully implement a 2016 peace deal with the FARC rebels and seek peace talks with the still-active ELN rebels, as well as halt all new oil and gas development.

Youth are a major demographic for Petro, who had about 50% support in opinion polls from the country’s youngest voters.

His campaign ramped up efforts to encourage youth turn-out in the last few days, acknowledging that young people may need an extra push to vote over a holiday weekend.

Rodolfo Hernandez rose in the polls only in the last two weeks, boosted by his colorful social media presence and anti-corruption promises. read more

He has promised to end privileges for officials and govern with austerity.

Despite Hernandez’s anti-corruption rhetoric, he is facing an investigation by the attorney general’s office over allegations he intervened in a trash collection tender when he was mayor of Bucaramanga to benefit a company his son had lobbied for.

Hernandez denies the accusations and insists they are designed to derail his bid or the presidency.

Hernandez, who is financing his own campaign, has relied heavily on social media, posting eccentric videos on TikTok, including one of him riding an electric scooter.

The whimsical content belies his personal knowledge of the suffering caused by Colombia’s nearly 60 years of war.

His farmer father was held by the FARC guerrillas for more than four months, while his daughter Juliana was kidnapped by the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels in 2004 and is believed to have been murdered in captivity.

Hernandez has said he would explore peace talks with the ELN if elected and continue to fulfill the FARC deal.

He has also pledged to strengthen law and order and create jobs, but he has shared scant details of those plans.

Reporting by Oliver Griffin, Carlos Vargas, Nelson Bocanegra, Luis Jaime Acosta and Julia Symmes Cobb
Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb and Luis Jaime Acosta
Editing by Mark Porter, Diane Craft and Grant McCool

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