Wednesday, 20/06/2018 08:29 (GMT+7)
With 99.45% of total votes counted, rightist Democratic Center Party candidate Ivan Duque has won Colombia’s presidency.
Ivan Duque wins Colombia Presidency (Photo: Reuters)
Mr. Duque won in the second round runoff election on June 17th with 53.9% of the vote.
In his victory speech, Duque said he wanted to build consensus and unite the country, following a divisive campaign. On the historic peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), he acknowledged the importance of maintaining peace, and said he intended to put the victims of the conflict at the center of any changes to the accord.
Ivan Duque, who will turn 42 just before taking office on August 8th, will be Colombia’s youngest ever President.
He will succeed President Juan Manuel Santos, whose efforts to end the war with the FARC, which killed 220,000 people and displaced nearly seven million, brought him the Nobel Peace Prize.
In May's first round, Ivan Duque came first with nearly 40% of the vote, while Mr. Gustavo Petro received 25 percent./.
Compiled by BTA