On Sunday, Former rebel Gustavo Petro was sworn in by Senate President Roy Barreras as Colombia’s first-ever leftist president. In a ceremony that was attended by over 100,000 people, Petro vowed to tackle the country’s key challenges including violent conflicts, drug trafficking, climate change, poverty and inequality, while calling for a “period of unity and basic consensus” for a “strong, just and united Colombia.”
In his inaugural address, Petro declared in Bogotá’s Bolívar Plaza that his government would “bring to Colombia what it has not had for centuries, which is tranquillity and peace,” while pledging to resume peace talks with armed groups—such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels—and enforce adherence to the 2016 Havana peace accords with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.
Petro, a former associate of the M-19 guerilla group himself, urged the rebels to “leave their arms in the haze of the past [and] accept legal benefits in exchange for peace,” while calling for dialogue. There are over 90 active militia groups in Colombia vying for control over drug fields, illegal gold mines, and lucrative smuggling routes.
In this regard, the new president promised to dismantle drug trafficking networks, with Colombia accounting for more than half of global cocaine production. In this regard, he denounced former United States President Richard Nixon’s “war on drugs” as a “failure” that “strengthened mafias and weakened states.”
¡Bienvenidos a Bogotá! @RepGregoryMeeks, #SpecialRepRacialEquity Cormier Smith, @Cartajuanero & I just landed for the Inauguration of @petrogustavo & @FranciaMarquezM. Eager to support efforts to combat inequality, implement the peace agreement & protect the environment. pic.twitter.com/iY90bvdSQg
— Samantha Power (@PowerUSAID) August 6, 2022
He called for a “new international convention” to reorient prohibition-centred counternarcotics policies towards“strong measures that prevent consumption in developed societies” and aim to “permit life and not generate death.” He also pledged to boost infrastructural development in rural areas, with the aim of nudging farmers away from coca production.
Petro also prioritised climate action, outlining a plan to reduce the economy’s dependence on coal and oil, suspend the issuance of new licences for oil exploration, ban fracking, and reduce deforestation.
"Que el futuro verde sea posible. El cambio climático es una realidad y es urgente. No lo dicen las izquierdas ni las derechas, lo dice la ciencia. Tenemos y podemos encontrar un modelo que sea sostenible económica, social y ambientalmente": @petrogustavo #ComienzaTuGobierno pic.twitter.com/AaTO4Ec22S
— MinAmbiente Colombia (@MinAmbienteCo) August 7, 2022
Petro’s election has ushered in a new era of hope amongst the populace, as it marks the end of over seven decades of right-wing domination. In fact, his predecessor Iván Duque had an approval rating of just 30% due to spiralling poverty, unemployment (11.7%), and inflation (10%). Coupled with increasing debt and a rising fiscal deficit, Duque’s economic performance prompted widespread citizen protests last year.
Against this backdrop, Petro asserted that his election represents a “second chance” for the nation to address poor living standards, and expressed his “solidarity” with the most vulnerable people. To this end, his cabinet has proposed a $10 billion a year tax reform package that mobilises revenue to cross-subsidise social welfare programs, including free public university education, and healthcare and pension reforms.
Additionally, his running mate, Vice-President (VP) Francia Márquez, the second female and first Afro-American to be elected as VP, has promised to give a voice to Black, Indigenous, and other marginalised communities, with the aim of “sowing a new and definitive opportunity for life and peace” in the country.
Juro ante Dios, el pueblo de Colombia, mis ancestras y ancestros, respetar la Constitución y trabajar por los colombianos y colombianas que históricamente han estado excluidos, hasta que la dignidad se haga costumbre. #ElCambioEsHoy pic.twitter.com/A6f0kdBuu4
— Francia Márquez Mina (@FranciaMarquezM) August 7, 2022
This has been seconded by Petro’s press chief, Marisol Rojas, who hailed their inauguration as the “first taste of a new form of governing, where all forms of life are respected, and where everyone fits in.” She added, “We want the Colombian people to be the protagonists.”
Petro’s emphasis on reconciliation is also exemplified on the foreign policy front, with his willingness to restore border ties with Venezuela, wherein he has agreed with his counterpart Nicolás Maduro to reopen borders, resume diplomatic and consular offices, boost trade flow, and address armed conflicts in the region. Relations between the two nations soured during Duque’s tenure, after he refused to recognise Maduro’s 2018 election and accused him of fuelling cross-border conflict.
Tiendo mi mano al Presidente Gustavo Petro y al pueblo colombiano, para reconstruir la hermandad sobre la base del respeto y el amor. Aprovechemos esta segunda oportunidad que menciona el nuevo Presidente de Colombia, por el bien de la felicidad y la Paz. ¡ Felicidades! pic.twitter.com/tcC8LUP4uk
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) August 7, 2022
In this regard, Maduro’s supporters joined the celebrations near the border marking Petro’s swearing-in, carrying Colombian flags and chanting “Viva Colombia, Viva Venezuela!”
In fact, the new president has received strong international backing, with foreign delegates and heads of state from various countries gracing Sunday’s inauguration ceremony, including his counterparts from Chile, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Paraguay, Honduras, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Panama. Spanish King Felipe VI and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power also attended the event.
The tale of two narratives from U.S. officials following the inauguration of .@petrogustavo #Colombia pic.twitter.com/97e0Eu9uty
— Robert Valencia (@rvalentwit) August 8, 2022
That being said, Petro faces an uphill battle on multiple fronts. Left-wing leaders have long been perceived as being soft on crime, with analysts sceptical of his plan to bring the police under civilian control to aid the fight against armed gangs. Similarly, his decision to appoint Iván Velásquez as the new defence minister has drawn flak from military heads as being indicative of intent towards a “widespread persecution of military personnel.” Velásquez previously investigated the nexus between paramilitary personnel and politicians during the Colombian civil war, leading to the conviction of over 60 government officials, including former President Alvaro Uribe’s cousin.
Moreover, conservative activist Stefan Bravo led a 500-people strong anti-Petro march in the capital city on Saturday to voice opposition to Petro’s “anti-free economy” policies. He stressed that Petro’s government will weaken the separation of powers and “be a threat to family values, private property, and foreign investment.”
Although the ruling coalition has a parliamentary majority, his policies have been described as too “ambitious,” wherein he may be “going after too many reforms at once” and risking ending up with nothing to show for it.