A week before the first round, the last public meetings of the presidential campaign were held on Sunday in Colombia in a climate of intense nervousness and more polarized.
On raw nervessummary in the press of the day about this election, promising to be one of the most unpredictable in recent decades in Colombia.
Opponent and leftist senator Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla and former mayor of Bogota who converted to social democracy, continues to lead the race in the polls (41%), suggesting for the first time that the left has come to power, in a country historically ruled by conservatives.
So far, however, polls suggest a victory [de M. Petro] from the first round is not possiblepredicts the day The Time.
If nothing strange happens on May 29ththerefore he must face in the second round set for June 19 right-wing candidate Federico Gutierrez, a former Medellin mayor who is on 27% of voting intentions, but is now seriously pursued by an independent candidate, theoutsider Rodolfo Hernandez, who was already seen in the second round.
Franco-Colombian candidate Ingrid Betancourt joined the latter on Friday.
To the leader of the coalition of Historical agreementMr. Petro ended his field campaign, which began very early and was conducted across the country, with a large rally in a historic square in the center of Bogota, where thousands of people gathered in the early afternoon.
This will be him 100th election speechthe opportunity to give, along with his charismatic Afro-Colombian vice-presidential running mate Francia Marquez, his promise to change and a government for all Colombians like end political hatred in societyaccording to the candidate group.
Federico Gutierrez, he said fico for his supporters, holding a conference on his land in Medellin.
After calling for a long time to block of the communists Who wants expropriate at remove institutionsthe leader of the Team for Colombia coalition is calling on his fellow citizens to unitepromised to work for all Colombian families and fight with insecurity.
There will come a week of hell, where candidates will burn their last cartridgeswhile nervousness is rampant in the countrysideunderlined the press again on Sunday.
This campaign will be tough, and there won’t be much debate on ideology. If he hadn’t lacked low punches, brainwashing, intimidation and manipulation, we expect the worse due to Colombian responsibilities, associating an origin within an international NGO. But the worst is likely to come yet.
Specter of an assassination
The campaign will be particularly marked by threats against Mr. Petro, who no longer speaks in public except behind a fence of armored shields, but also against fico.
Threats have revived the specter of a murder, in a country still marked by decades of political violence in which five presidential candidates were assassinated in the 20th century.
Another controversy has fueled ambient feverishness for several days, with doubts over the reliability of the electoral process.
After various declarations on the software to be used for ballot counting and precount inconsistencies during the legislative elections last March (won by the left), rumors were rife about the possible suspension or resignation of the Pambansa leader. . Civil Registry. , which governs the organization of elections, even a postponement of ballot redundancy.
On Saturday night, Mr. Petro, weeping wolf, launched a alert and adopted at a rally that they intend to make a blow to the election […] sa suspension of the bodies governing the electoral system in Colombia.
And to call the other two candidates to meet urgently on Monday on this subject, at least one of them, Mr. Hernandez, sharply rejected this call.
The allegations of postponement or suspension of elections are completely untrueresponse by Interior Minister Daniel Palacios, asking candidates not to commit disinformation.
Lots of tension
National Register boss Alexander Vega said Sunday he could guarantee a presidential election. reliable and transparentattacking attacks wrongly and unreasonably acknowledging a statement of fraud.
This story has been on the air for a few dayscomment of a diplomatic source. Postponing the election is almost unthinkable while the electoral machine is reliable and ready for next Sunday. But there is still too much tension …
These tensions are a alarm signal and most likely destroy the trust of citizensthe press also judged Colombian rivalry expert and respected intellectual Gonzalo Sanchez.
Source: Radio-Canada
