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Gustavo Petro was sworn in in front of hundreds of thousands of people at Bogota’s inauguration on Sunday, becoming Colombia’s first left-wing president.
The 62-year-old former guerrilla and one-time mayor succeeds the deeply unpopular Ivan Duke, who plans deep reforms in a country plagued by economic inequality and drug violence.
Petro’s difficult victory in June’s election has expanded Colombia’s left-wing power in Latin America, long ruled by conservative elites.
“I swear to God and assure the people that I will faithfully implement Colombia’s constitution and laws,” Petro said in front of a large crowd of supporters gathered in Bogota’s Plaza Bolivar.
Petro, whose government should be supported by a left-leaning majority in Congress, called on Colombian armed groups in his inaugural speech to “lay down their arms” and accept legal benefits “in exchange for peace.”
He also took aim at decades of anti-drug efforts, saying: “It’s time for a new international convention that recognizes that the war on drugs has been lost.”
He called for an international fund to help the deforestation-plagued Colombian Amazon.
On the campaign trail, Petro has drawn international condemnation on promises to raise taxes on the wealthy during his four-year term, invest in health care and education, and reform the police after a brutal crackdown on anti-inequity protests last year.
He has vowed to suspend oil exploration, promote clean energy and restore diplomatic and commercial ties with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro government, which has been suspended since 2019.
Jorge Restrepo, an analyst at the Conflict Analysis Resource Centre (Cerac), told AFP that the Petro started from an “enviable position, with a majority in Congress, in terms of streets, getting There has been no government support in recent years.”
Maduro congratulated Petro on his inauguration, saying in a video: “I extend my hand to the people of Colombia, to President Gustavo Petro, to rebuild on the basis of respect and love among the people. Brotherhood”.
The Venezuelan leader was not invited to the ceremony by outgoing President Duque, whose office oversees preparations for the event.
Duque also rejected Petro’s request to have revolutionary figure Simon Bolivar’s sword appear at the ceremony — a decision the new president reversed immediately after taking the oath.
The sword, which was eventually brought to Plaza Bolivar by the honor guards, is of particular significance to Petro, as it was stolen decades ago by the M-19 guerrillas of which he was a former member, and later in 1991 Year was returned to a negotiated peace deal.
‘Critical’ debt load
Petro’s presidency is also historic in another sense: by his side will be the country’s first Afro-Colombian female vice president, 40-year-old environmental and women’s rights activist Francia Marque s.
The pair will grapple with a struggling economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, a surge in violence and deep-seated anger at the political establishment that eventually led to last year’s protests.
Nearly 40 percent of Colombia’s 50 million people live in poverty, while 11.7 percent are unemployed.
Inflation also hit 10.2% in July.
On Monday, a preparatory committee set up by Petro said he was inheriting “a certain level of debt and deficits … which is crucial”.
Thousands of Colombians poured into Bogota’s main square to celebrate Petro’s inauguration and his commitment to change.
Alexandra Rojas, a supporter of the new president, said: “We are very grateful … to the millions of Colombians who believe in change, and today we will start working together to bring about change.”
Others couldn’t contain their excitement.
“I’m so happy to see the inauguration of our President Gustavo Petro, how happy, I can’t control it, happiness is great, change has happened, change has come,” Ruth Perez said, flags.
peace talks
Petro has pledged to implement the outstanding terms of the 2016 peace deal that saw the rebel FARC movement lay down its arms after nearly six years of civil war.
The former mayor of Bogota also vowed to negotiate with the National Liberation Army (ELN) armed group.
Violence has surged in Colombia despite the FARC disbanding as a political party.
Thousands of dissidents continue to fight the ELN and powerful cartels to control drug fields, illegal gold mines and lucrative smuggling routes.
Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, has 90 armed groups with around 10,000 members active, according to the Independent Peace Research Institute.
Petro has proposed allowing armed groups to surrender themselves in exchange for some form of amnesty.
Colombia’s president has only one term.
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