Home / World News / Colombian outsider surges to runoff with a real shot at presidency

Colombian outsider surges to runoff with a real shot at presidency

Rodolfo Hernandez got 28% of votes, compared to 40% for Gustavo Petro, the electoral authority said after an election in which no candidate reached the 50% threshold to avoid a second round

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Rodolfo Hernandez, independent presidential candidate, speaks to members of the media after casting a ballot at a polling location during the first-round presidential election in Bucaramanga, Colombia. (Photo: Bloomberg)

Matthew Bristow and Andrea Jaramillo | Bloomberg

5 min read Last Updated : May 30 2022 | 9:27 AM IST

A construction magnate who was little known at the start of the year has surged into Colombia’s runoff election with a real chance at winning the presidency as voters coalesce against his leftist rival.

Rodolfo Hernandez got 28% of votes, compared to 40% for former guerrilla Gustavo Petro, the electoral authority said Sunday night after an election in which no candidate reached the 50% threshold to avoid a second round.

Federico Gutierrez, who polls showed was Petro’s main rival, only got 24%. He and many of his key supporters have already endorsed Hernandez. Hernandez, Gutierrez and center candidate Sergio Fajardo

Topics : Colombia Elections

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