Colombia elects Congress, chooses presidential candidates amid US tensions
Al Jazeera
On Sunday, Colombians will choose from more than 3,000 candidates looking to secure 102 Senate seats and 182 House seats.
Colombians have headed to the polls to elect a new Congress and choose new presidential candidates on Sunday as the country remains on high alert for political violence, with rural regions dominated by armed groups and with the nation facing ongoing pressure from the administration of United States President Donald Trump.
About 41.2 million eligible voters in Colombia will choose from more than 3,000 candidates vying for 102 Senate seats and 182 House seats.
Alongside the congressional vote, Colombians will be deciding on presidential candidates for the country’s three key political blocs: the left, centre-left, and the right.
The winners of the vote will go on to stand during the presidential election, whose first round is set for May 31. However, leading candidates, including leftist Ivan Cepeda, right-winger Abelarda de la Espriella and centrist Sergio Fajardo, will not be participating during the primary elections.
For Federico Rodriguez, a 32-year-old business administrator, after voting in the capital, Bogota said that it was “very important” to vote.
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