Colombia Votes Amid Severe Violence Wave to Choose Gustavo Petro’s Successor

Colombians are heading to polling stations today to elect a new president following a campaign marked by tensions and violent incidents. Approximately 41 million citizens are eligible to vote to select a successor to the leftist President Gustavo Petro, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term.

The electoral process has been overshadowed by a rising number of attacks resulting in deaths and injuries among civilians, soldiers, and police officers. According to the newspaper El Tiempo, over 400,000 soldiers and police officers have been deployed to oversee and secure the elections.

Christine Weismann, head of the Colombia office of the German research center Konrad Adenauer Foundation, described the current situation as "one of the worst waves of violence in recent years" in Colombia.

Fourteen candidates are contesting the presidency, but recent opinion polls highlight three prominent figures. Senator Iván Cepeda, a leftist from the ruling coalition, is running against conservative Senator Paloma Valencia, who is aligned with former President Álvaro Uribe. Additionally, right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella is also a candidate.

If no candidate secures an absolute majority, which current polls suggest is likely, a runoff election will be held on June 21.

The parliamentary elections held in March already revealed deep political polarization within Colombia. Although Petro’s leftist coalition emerged as the largest force in the Senate, no party achieved a clear majority. This scenario indicates that the next president will probably face challenges in coalition negotiations.