Colombia is heading to the polls to choose a new president.
The election is being held after months of public recrimination between current left-wing President Gustavo Petro and his US counterpart Donald Trump over a number of issues including drug trafficking and American intervention in the region.
Colombia’s constitution prohibits Petro seeking re-election and he has thrown his support behind Iván Cepeda. Challenging him are right-wing candidates Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia.
The outcome of the election could redefine which countries the Latin American nation aligns itself with and how the government intends to tackle drug gangs amid spiralling violence.
Voting began at 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and will close at 16:00 on Sunday.
None of the candidates appear likely to win an outright majority, with a run-off vote expected on 21 June.
Polling suggests Cepeda has the greatest support, with de la Espriella his next-closest rival.
Cepeda has promised to continue with the Petro administration’s policy of “total peace”, which sought negotiated settlements with armed insurgent groups that engage in drug trafficking – though talks have stalled or fallen apart and there has been renewed violence.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a recent report that armed conflict in Colombia last year had affected civilians the most in a decade.
De la Espriella and Valencia have vowed to launch a military crackdown if elected.
Colombia’s presidential hopefuls have campaigned amid persistent political violence, with one candidate fatally shot last summer. Last week, de la Espriella appeared at a rally in Medellin behind bulletproof glass.
He and Valencia have expressed a desire to restore Colombia’s close security alliance with the US.
Credit: bbc.com
