Ex-FARC rebels undercover agent Gustavo Petro as Colombia’s unique hope

Santa Lucia, Colombia – Suggestions to the reintegration camp follows many rudimentary grime tracks where the rivers and minor waterfalls infrequently bleed into its direction.

The dwelling before all the things attach appears to be like like many diversified villages one can also fair attain upon across the country. Scampering roosters, poker-confronted mules, and stray canines eyeing every empanada in hand. 

The unmoving peek of heavily armed infantrymen surveyed the compound of the general public library in Santa Lucia. Plastered across the wall within the relieve of them had been colored posters and photos made by the kids of the cramped village, about ninety minutes from the city of Ituango.

« They attach not seem to be most continuously right here, » a farmer acknowledged as he sharpened a blade. « They’re handiest right here for the election and after that they leave again. »

Roberto Antonio had considered this all ahead of. « What are they going to make for the farmers right here? What distinction does it procure who wins? »

For deal of within the village of Santa Lucia, Sunday’s presidential elections mattered.

As effectively as to being the 54th anniversary of the Innovative Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), it became additionally the essential time that the outmoded riot neighborhood’s ex-fighters had been included within the democratic direction of.

Following the historic peace accord of 2016, the vote intended these that had been infantrymen had been now electorate with a yell and had a squawk within the direction of the country.

Trusty-cruise candidate Ivan Duque carried out first with 39 p.c of the vote, leftist candidate Gustavo Petro got right here in second with 25 p.c, and outmoded Medellin mayor Sergio Fajardo, a centre-left candidate, became 1/three with 24 p.c.

As a consequence of the results, it is miles now commence huge as Colombia has chosen candidates who provide markedly diversified visions for the manner forward for the country.

On the one hand, Duque of the Centro Democratico occasion, has promised a return to the fighter presidency of his mentor Alvaro Uribe, where peace with FARC would not consist of impunity for outmoded fighters, nor would there be an ease on the utilization of paramilitary strikes in opposition to the riot neighborhood.

Focused on ex-FARC rebels

Fixed with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Forty FARC members maintain been killed since the peace accord became signed into law – six within the northern field of Antioquia shut to Ituango. As effectively as to the deaths, outmoded fighters are most continuously on the receiving terminate of threats and harassment that jeopardise the possibilities of them reintegrating into civil society.

Rodrigo Londono, alias Timochenko and FARC’s chief and presidential candidate, additionally had to suspend his marketing campaign thanks to threats.

Which is why on Sunday evening, as Petro took to the stage for his occasion rally, many outmoded opponents from FARC saw in him a brand unique hope to fabricate lasting peace.

« We’re factual happy that he won, » Liliana acknowledged. « Most certainly now staunch commerce can attain to Colombia. »

As a fighter, Liliana became given the warrior title Estefania. Liliana joined the 18th Front of the FARC when she became 16 after she saw how effectively the neighborhood treated her village. After it disarmed, she moved to the reintegration camp in Santa Lucia and took on the objective of a social chief inside the newly formed neighborhood.

« What we request from him is that he supports us within the peace direction of, » Liliana acknowledged as she served pork stew and candy flatbread within the camp’s neighborhood hall.

She added many within the camp hoped Petro has what it takes to alter into president on June 17, when the second and final spherical of balloting takes attach.

Infantrymen patrol within the village of Santa Lucia [Arjun Harindranath/Al Jazeera]

‘Petro is hope’

Jhonhader shares that hope. Having joined FARC as a 20-year-extinct, Jhonhader spent four years in Medellin’s Bellavista penitentiary ahead of he moved to Santa Lucia to initiate a brand unique life with his accomplice, a girl who had additionally been a member of the 18th Front.

« For us the presidents of Colombia maintain persistently been capitalists and the wretched never procure of endeavor, » Jhonhader acknowledged, highlighting the strongly leftist leanings they maintain got attain to adore in Petro.

The outmoded M-19 guerrilla can also fair now be some distance from his riot roots, nevertheless his marketing campaign has chanced on a following among outmoded FARC fighters.

Petro now faces a further spherical in opposition to Duque. No matter Sunday’s genuine pollexhibiting, his newest wrestle has handiest factual begun.

Broken-down FARC rebels maintain attain to adore the strongly leftist leanings of Gustavo Petro [Reuters]