Colombia vote delivers blow to former guerrillas turned politicians

Colombia`s Conservatives have done well in the Country`s Congressional Elections. James Blears reports it`s a plus for them, an indicator for May`s Presidential Election and a blow for former leftist guerrillas, who have transformed into fledgling politicians.

By James Blears

Ex Colombian President Alvaro Uribe`s Democratic Center Party has won many of the seats in the Congressional Elections for the 106 members House of Representatives and 102 seat Senate, but not an overall majority.

The Revolutionary Alternative Common Force, guaranteed ten Congressional Seats from the 2016 Peace Agreement, ending 52 years of civil war, have fared poorly, winning less than half a percent of the vote. Memories of when they were the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia...the FARC, have NOT faded.

The two main Presidential Candidates have also been nominated via voting in this process. Former Mayor of Bogota Gustavo Petro of the Alternative Indigenous Social Movement and Humane Colombia got 2.3 million votes. While Ivan Duke of Colombia`s Democratic Center Party led by Uribe gained more than three million votes.

Listen to James Blears' report