Petro to assume political leadership of Colombia’s leading leftist party

President Gustavo Petro announced on Sunday that he will assume the role of leader for Colombia’s most prominent leftist political party, the Historic Pact. In a social media post, Petro accepted the invitation to lead the party following Senator Ivan Cepeda’s suggestion during a rally in Tunja on Saturday. The president expressed his intention to step down from power temporarily following the inauguration of the far-right President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella.

This temporary transfer of power will provide President Petro time to relax and recuperate after four years in office. Upon his return, Petro stated his commitment to promoting peace and social justice in Colombia, with a focus on forging a national agreement to prevent violent confrontations among citizens. The Historic Pact, which was formed in March, was created from a coalition of parties that have supported the political careers of Petro and Cepeda.

As a result of a recent electoral triumph, the party now holds 25 out of 103 seats in the Senate, with 12 senators coming from Petro’s former party, Colombia Humana. President Petro’s political journey began with his involvement in the M-19 guerrilla group, which disarmed in 1990. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1998 and later became a senator in 2006.

Petro served as mayor of Bogota from 2012 to 2015. Despite his popularity, the US government has accused Petro of opposition to the genocide in Gaza. He has claimed that his June election victory was fraudulent and has not recognized de la Espriella as his successor.