In the midst of a historic day of internal consultation in Colombia, in which the presidential candidate of the Historic Pact coalition for next year's general elections is being determined, Colombian Senator Iván Cepeda Castro was confirmed as the winner of the process, with a trend that is now irreversible, according to Bulletin 17 of the National Registry, the entity in charge of organizing the elections.
With a 34-point lead over the second-highest-voted candidate, Carolina Corcho, Cepeda is confirmed as the candidate of the Historic Pact coalition, made up of the Democratic Pole, the Patriotic Union, the Colombian Communist Party, and other political forces.
With a total of 15.958 polling stations processed out of more than 19.000 installed during the day, according to figures provided by the Registry, and a total of 1.428.648 voters, the senator has garnered 64,02% of the vote, equivalent to a total of 800.839.
After the results were announced, Colombian President Gustavo Petro celebrated the results with a message on social media: "Democracy prevails and we must obey it. The people have freely chosen. And now it's up to Colombian society to decide what to do, whether backward or forward."
Despite all the sabotage confirmed throughout the day, with the numerous flaws presented during the process, the left-wing coalition received broad popular support, reflected in the massive turnout of voters who turned out at the polling stations.
In a meeting with supporters of the Historic Pact, after the initial irreversible results were announced, the now presidential candidate thanked the more than two million Colombians who voted for him.
He especially expressed his gratitude to the peasants, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant communities, and working-class neighborhoods who were able to vote today, despite all the difficulties the Registry allowed during the elections.
He emphasized that these elections reaffirmed the Historic Pact as the most thriving force for democracy in the country: "We have demonstrated that we are an essentially democratic force, one that is not afraid of democracy and has competed with the citizens at the polls." I owe my gratitude to that group of people who have been victims of violence in the country. He also thanked the national leader and his coalition partners and team.
