Ex-Rebel Takes Oath As Colombia President In Historic Shift
Newsy
Sen. Gustavo Petro won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties who failed to connect with frustrated voters.
Colombia's first leftist president was sworn into office Sunday, promising to fight inequality and bring peace to a country haunted by feuds between the government, drug traffickers and rebel groups.
Sen. Gustavo Petro, a former member of Colombia's M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties that offered moderate changes to the market-friendly economy, but failed to connect with voters frustrated by rising poverty and violence against human rights leaders and environmental groups in rural areas.
On Sunday, he said Colombia was getting a "second chance" to tackle violence and poverty and promised that his government would implement economic policies that seek to end longstanding inequalities and ensure "solidarity" with the nation's most vulnerable.