In Brief: The Colombian Elections
After decades of guerilla conflict and just two years after the polemical peace negotiations, Colombia is going back to the ballots to decide who will be their next president. Santos, the current president, managed and supported the peace negotiations with the guerrilla group FARC (Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia). The latter is now leaving office and Colombia is divided on who will replace him.
The Basics
These elections do not only affect Colombians but represent an important shift for the region as a whole. With the current Venezuelan crisis, hundreds of Venezuelan refugees are migrating daily to Colombia and thus future presidential policies will play an important part in deciding their future.
Apart from regional importance, the conflict in Colombia has also been of significance overseas. Europe remains part of the influence of Colombian politics due to America’s influence on both of their politics. In addition, if Colombia’s elections do not stabilise the politics of the country as a whole there exists the possibility that Colombians decide to migrate abroad to Europe and the US.
The Elections
Colombians will decide their new president on 27th May 2018. A very important issue in these elections is the lack of popular participation that largely influences the results. However, voting is mandatory in Colombia, so how is there lack of participation? According to a poll published by BBC, 16,3% of Colombians are considering to vote blank. This means that, a voter will not vote for any candidate and the latter is considered to be a statement against the candidates as well as believing that political power cannot make the changes that are needed for the country.
Political Background
Colombia is, like many other countries in Latin America, full of natural resources. Inequality and various social issues spurred on, in part, by these natural resources, led to the rise of the extreme left wing political group such as FARC today. Unable to participate in national politics, FARC turned to violence to deliver their message. In terms of funding, FARC used narco-trafficking and other illicit activities. Since then, dealing with the FARC has been a priority in the Colombian political agenda.
Peace negotiations between the FARC and the Colombian government in 2016 appeared to mark the end of the conflict. Instead, it divided the country. The Colombian government did come to an agreement in with the FARC but had to compromise on a lot of things such as lenient punishments for members of the FARC as well as guaranteed seats in the Colombian Senate and House. As such, the big question here is: Has the government been too lenient?
The Candidates
In contrast to countries with two-party systems, Colombia tends to have a lot of candidates who end up creating coalitions between themselves. All official coalitions are still to be confirmed, but so far there are nine official candidates.
The favourite ones, according to public opinion polls, are Gustavo Petro and Sergio Fajardo, both former mayors and governors of different districts of the country. On one side, Petro proposes to invest in free education and an inclusive economy. Polls reveal that his main voters are located in the capital, Bogotá. While Fajardo, with a background in mathematics and politics, proposes fighting corruption, strengthening security, and implementing social support plans.
Other candidates include Humberto de la Calle, famous for leading the peace talks with FARC; German Vargas, who used to be part of former president Santos’ party; Clara Lopez, former Labor Minister; Claudia Lopez, social democrat from the green alliance; and Iván Duque, a banking specialist. Last week, TImochenko, one of the main leader´s of FARC, is also running for president. However, due to protests against his candidature, his campaign was suspended.
Comments