The political shock waves from Bogotá have reached the industrial towns of the North. A fervent outsider, endorsed by former president Donald Trump, has stormed to victory in Colombia’s presidential election, handing a bruising defeat to the left-wing coalition that had hoped to cement a new progressive era across Latin America. For workers here, watching the price of a pound of beef rise week by week, the news adds another layer of uncertainty to global trade and the cost of living.
Rodrigo Castro, a 52-year-old former mayor with little name recognition until six months ago, swept to power on a wave of anti-establishment anger. His campaign railed against corruption, soaring inflation and crime, echoing the populist rhetoric that has reshaped politics from Washington to Warsaw. He beat Claudia Moreno, the candidate of the left-wing Pact for Colombia, by a margin of 52% to 48% a result that stunned pollsters who had predicted a closer race or a Moreno win.
The victory is a personal win for Trump, who called Castro a “great leader” in a social media post as results came in. It is also a strategic blow for the left in a region where leaders in Brazil, Chile and Mexico have been pushing for closer ties and a break from US dominance. Moreno had pledged to renegotiate trade deals, raise corporate taxes and expand social programmes. Castro, by contrast, promises to slash regulation, open up oil and mining to foreign investment, and crack down on street protests.
For Sarah Jenkins, Economy & Labour Reporter, this is the first time she has covered a Latin American election, but says the themes are universal. “Workers and families in Colombia are facing exactly the same pressures as those in Manchester or Detroit: wages that don’t keep up with bills, a political class that seems out of touch, and a deep yearning for change. Castro tapped into that anger. The left failed to sell its vision to people who feel left behind.”
The election also underscores a wider global trend. The left has lost ground in Argentina, Uruguay and now Colombia. Right-wing populists are gaining momentum in Europe. For unions and labour activists, the Castro victory is a call to sharpen their message. “If we cannot connect with people on the bread-and-butter issues, we will keep losing,” said Maria Gonzalez, a union leader from Cali who campaigned for Moreno. “Castro promised lower prices and more jobs. He didn’t say how. But people believed him.”
In Colombia, Castro faces a divided Congress, a fragile peace deal with former FARC rebels, and an economy battered by inflation and a weak peso. His first 100 days will be watched closely on both sides of the Atlantic. For workers and families in the North, the lesson is clear. The kitchen table is the battlefield. And the fight is not over.
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