Leftist is frontrunner after Colombia presidential primaries

By MANUEL RUEDA
Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombians have voted for a new congress and also cast ballots in presidential primaries to choose party candidates for the May presidential contest. Sunday’s vote was the country’s first election since the pandemic began two years ago. Leftist Sen. Gustavo Petro has emerged as the current leader in the race for the presidency. He won the primary for the left-wing Historical Pact coalition with 80% of the more than 5.4 million votes cast in its primary. A coalition of conservative candidates drew 3.9 million voters in its primary, which was won by former Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez, who has criticized some aspects of the 2016 peace deal the FARC rebels group. The centrist coalition had 2 million voters in its primary, which was won by mathematician Sergio Fajardo.