Colombia will hold presidential elections at the end of May, and the leader is currently the leader of the Humane Colombia Party, who is also the former mayor of the capital, Gustavo Pedro. Competing candidates include the leader of the “Colombia Team” – Gutierrez, who was born in the consulting industry, and Sergio Fajardo, a mathematics professor from the “centrist Alliance of Hope”.
Colombia’s civil war and drug lords have long attracted international attention. Although the civil war has finally ended in recent years, the impact of the new crown epidemic on the political economy has been huge. Colombia is a rare country in Latin America that has been ruled by the right for many years. This election gave Pedro the left-wing candidate for the first time the chance to win the presidency, whether the centrist Fajardo or the establishment Gutierrez. , are clearly inferior.
This is Pedro’s third time running for president. The last time was in Colombia’s first general election after the end of the civil war in 2018. He focused on people’s livelihood issues and social justice and won a lot of votes.
But he also carries the burden of left-wing history. For example, he once admired Chavez’s “21st century socialism”, was a member of the M19 guerrilla organization, and was a member of the “Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Govu)” guerrilla group. close. All these make the criticism of the “Chávez model” and “Ge Wu” question him.
Colombia is entering a new phase in its history after a 50-year civil war. Pedro’s campaign this time is more centrist and even aligned with some conservative leaders, and his platform puts more emphasis on moving away from left and right.
In addition to dealing with poverty, corruption, drugs and other issues more effectively, Colombia needs to promote digital transformation more economically, and also find good strategies for an ecological economy. These have been expressed in Pedro’s campaign platform, but there will be huge tests in implementation.
Most of the newly elected left-wing governments in Latin America are faced with a lack of governance means. Just as Peru’s Castillo took office last year and quickly tended to a moderate line, Chile’s newly elected “post-85” Boric is actually difficult to fully fulfill his promises. Obviously left-wing politicians, it is difficult to imagine that they can only rely on the “old tricks” such as nationalization to develop the economy. If they can only make a few limited adjustments to the status quo after taking office, they cannot effectively solve the problem, and they will only be constantly confronted. Criticism from right-wing opponents, and backstabbing from more left-wing forces.
Colombia is not without options beyond the “corrupt establishment” and the “Chávez model”. In fact, the centrist has always been an equally prominent presence in Colombian politics. Philosopher Antanas Morcus, who served as mayor of the capital in the 1990s, is a representative of this faction and is known for his innovative approaches to municipalities, such as “Bike Days” for exclusive bicycles, and the city’s men who stay at home with their babies. “Women’s Night” etc.
One of the candidates for this election, Sergio Fajardo, is also a member of this faction. He had been Mercus’ running mate.
The governance innovations of the centrists in Colombia are often well received and spread internationally, but their development in Colombia has certain limitations. Its supporters are generally considered to be mainly the urban middle and upper classes, and the representatives are mostly scholars. Although they also emphasize the promotion of social justice, they lack a broader mass base. In 2018, Fajardo’s votes were almost evenly matched with Pedro’s, and his approval rating has fallen behind in this election.
After the war and the ravages of the epidemic, Colombia’s political and economic development should benefit from more innovative practices. Whether the future will continue to be bound by the old framework or be able to escape from it depends on more integration practices that break down social barriers.
