Francia Márquez, first Afro vice president in Colombia. Fernando Vergara (AP)
A man who was a guerrilla and then went for legal politics and a black woman from a humble background become the president and vice president of Colombia. This photo is a major twist in the politics of this country where classism, racism, aporophobia and war have lived. Gustavo Petro and Francia Márquez make history and mark a turning point with their seizure of power in a democracy that has managed to hold its ground in the face of many difficulties and injustices. The trust that citizens have in Gustavo Petro today in the elections can be read as the key to reconciliation, although the hatred it generates in some sectors shows the way that remains to heal the wounds of the conflict. In any case, he will be the first left-wing president in the country’s history. Win an overwhelming victory with the banner of change that gave hope to a majority of voters, but also doubts and fears in part of the country.
Francia Márquez embodies the discriminated and excluded. Woman, black, of humble origin, born in Cauca… her story is the justification of “nobody”, as she says. By those marginalized from power. Eyes will also be on her: the first Afro woman to reach the vice presidency with a feminist agenda and as the spokesperson for the vast Afro-Colombian population and for all those excluded.
Colombian democracy, which has passed the test of calm and clear elections, will also face a challenge over the next four years as the country remains fragmented. The role of the institutions that counterbalance the executive branch will be essential to ensure that the new government’s reforms remain constitutional and to resist the temptations of a president who has shown signs of a strong personality.
The challenges are great. These first few days are all about controlling fear because from now on the effects of the new government will be felt. The biggest concern for many analysts is how the markets will react to this election. That is why the calm that the President-elect can give is important so that the economy is not destabilized before he makes the first decision and is struck by suspicion. The calls for national unity in the final days of the campaign, made by the President-elect in his first statement, could point in that direction. He’ll have to build a team and seek alliances because he doesn’t have a majority in Congress despite having a solid faction. A few spirited congressmen can give him the majority to pass fundamental projects, but the faction that will oppose it is also large, and that balance is always important.
The more than 10.5 million votes Rodolfo Hernández received represent a country that said no to Petro, and what separates a statesman from a politician is understanding when the campaign ends and the president begins, the whole to represent the nation. In his first statements, the President-elect called on these voters and welcomed them to his project. He invoked the flags of peace, love and forgiveness. We will see if the call is genuine and if it manages to eliminate prevention and hatred.
The most difficult thing that the new government will have to face is undoubtedly what Alejandro Gaviria called the volcano: social non-conformity, injustice, structural exclusion made worse by the impact of the pandemic, rising inflation and hunger that many people are suffering . Gustavo Petro came to power because a majority of those excluded believed his project could make a difference. Will the President-elect be able to respond quickly to this cry? With the two candidates who made it to the second round, it was clear that large parts of the country wanted something different. However, solving problems that have been unsolved for decades or centuries is not a task for a few months, and the question is what will happen on the streets if solutions are not found soon. The citizens will be a counterweight to the future government.
The same is true of the Constitutional Court, which must be vigilant to maintain the balance of power and curb ideas gone haywire, even when they arrive with the intention of curbing poverty or hunger. When changes are made through institutional channels, they are more secure. Added to the court are the supervisory bodies, which played a controversial role during the campaign for failing to demonstrate their impartiality, and are now tasked with overseeing the new government. Let us trust that they will do so within the law because the doubts they raised lead us to believe that they will now remain on the fringes of opposition. That’s good for supervisors, but it’s bad if they go too far and don’t respect the mandate of the elections.
The traditional politicians, who are big losers in this race, will undoubtedly be there because political animals always know how to adapt to power. Many of them have come since the beginning of the campaign and more will come. The President’s job will be that of the tightrope walker who must provide support in order to be governable without abandoning the social banners and changes that brought him victory. His constituents and his group must also be vigilant.
“This is not the time for hate,” said Gustavo Petro in his victory speech. It is to be hoped for the good of the country that this is the case and that the new government can build bridges to bring the conflict-affected sectors closer together, that it surrounds itself well, that it delivers on its promise to help the most vulnerable, that it finds a way to mend wounds and that the hopes of millions who have placed their trust in you will not be disappointed. In the meantime, we must wait for the counterweights to work. The Cortes, Congress, the Banco de la República, citizens and the press affected by this dispute will also have the floor from August 7th. These watchful eyes are required, and it is not superfluous to call for a wait for the new government. In fact, we will know.
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