News > Colombia elects Gustavo Petro as first leftist President

Colombia elects Gustavo Petro as first leftist President

Leftist Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement who has vowed profound social and economic change, won Colombia's Presidency on Sunday, the first progressive to do so in the country's history. 

Mr. Petro, a former Mayor of capital Bogota and current Senator, has pledged to fight inequality with free university education, pension reforms and high taxes on unproductive land.