The United Kingdom has called for calm and democratic continuity as Colombia heads into a polarising presidential run-off between leftist Gustavo Petro and right-wing populist Rodolfo Hernández. With ballots closing on Sunday, the Foreign Office issued a statement stressing the importance of “free, fair and peaceful elections” in a nation that has long been a key strategic partner in Latin America.
For voters in the gritty working-class barrios of Bogotá and Medellín, this election feels like a knife-edge choice between two visions of how to drag Colombia out of its deepening economic malaise. Petro, a former M-19 guerrilla and current senator, promises sweeping social reforms: a universal pension, free university tuition and a shift away from oil dependency. His support is strongest among the poor and the trade unions who have seen their wages eaten away by inflation that hit 12 per cent in May.
Hernández, a millionaire businessman and former mayor of Bucaramanga, styles himself as a corruption-busting outsider. He has been endorsed by Donald Trump’s allies and echoes the former president’s combative rhetoric, vowing to jail opponents and slash red tape. For the middle class struggling to pay rent and the thousands of Venezuelan migrants eking out a living on Bogotá’s streets, his promise of lower taxes and private investment sounds like a lifeline.
Labour leaders in the industrial hub of Barranquilla tell me they are wary of both candidates. “Petro talks about workers’ rights, but his past ties to armed groups scare off foreign capital,” says Maria Torres, a union organiser at a textile plant. “Hernández talks like a boss, not a friend of the worker.” The result is a frustrated electorate where many feel they are choosing between a risk and a gamble.
The UK’s interest is not altruistic. British firms have billions in mining, oil and financial services tied up in Colombia. A destabilised Colombia could disrupt supply chains and hit investments in renewable energy projects where UK companies are partners. The Foreign Office’s call for stability is also a nod to the delicate peace process with FARC dissidents and the ongoing negotiations with the ELN, which could unravel under a radical government.
As families in the coastal city of Cartagena watch the returns on crackling television sets, the price of a loaf of bread has risen 18 per cent this year. Whoever wins will inherit a nation where half the population lives in poverty and the gap between rich and poor is among the widest in the Americas. For the UK, the message is clear: stability cannot be taken for granted when the cost of living is breaking families.
