The clash for the Colombian Presidency, which will have the second round held on the 19th, will take place between two white men. The dispute between Gustavo Petro and Rodolfo Hernández, which pits a leftist and a populist with an uncertain platform, left out parties and traditional actors in local politics, in addition to bringing another novelty: both candidates have a black woman as their runner-up.
Petro’s running mate, who took the lead in the first round on Sunday (29), is Francia Márquez, a 40-year-old lawyer and environmental activist. With the surprise Hernández, in turn, is Marelen Castillo Torres, 53, a pedagogue and political novice. Their paths and styles are distinct, but their presence in the campaign coincides for a number of reasons.
One of them is the peace agreement with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), which allowed sectors of society previously relegated to enter politics, especially because they live in areas of conflict.
Colombia has a large population of internally displaced people, who have had to leave their homes because of clashes between the army, guerrillas and paramilitaries in recent decades. There are about 7 million “desplazados”, of which 25% are black. The peace treaty allowed the implementation of policies to help this population, even though the current president, Iván Duque, was not in favor of the text.
Since the 2018 congressional elections, indigenous and black participation in Colombian politics has grown. This movement also reflects a cycle of recent protests, in which these minorities were protagonists — especially in regions where the racial profile of the population is more diverse, such as in the department of Vale do Cauca, whose capital is Cali.
Alongside the demonstrations, other events shed light on the issue, notably the death of Anderson Arboleda, 19, in Puerto Tejada, during an action by security forces. The young man, approached for violating quarantine rules, became a symbol of police violence against blacks.
Amid the incipient discussion, racism remains. Colombia has 50.1 million inhabitants and is predominantly mestizo. According to the 2018 census, 10% are of Afro origin, and this group makes up the majority of those living below the poverty line, especially in less developed departments such as Guajira and Chocó. In these places, poverty exceeds 60% of the population — the country’s average is 33%.
The country, until today, was generally ruled by only a small elite, and it is in this context that Petro and Hernández bet on the figures of their deputy.
The still leftist favorite, however, was somewhat forced to accept Marquez on the ticket. He had another vice in mind, but the activist performed excellently in the Historic Pact coalition primaries, which led to the construction of a deal after alliance fraying. In recent weeks, the estrangement has become visible, with the two performing acts separately.
A single mother at age 16, Márquez was born in Suárez, in the Cauca Valley, and became known for her fight against illegal mining. Very popular among young people who took to the streets in 2019 and 2021 in the protests against the Duque government, she came to suffer attacks and threats during the campaign.
A seasoned speaker, she has a profile that contrasts with the vice-president of populist Hernández, who started the race as an underdog and now shows that he can unseat Petro. Marelen Castillo Torres is a newcomer to politics, who until now worked in the university environment.
Born in Cali, she studied biology at the Universidad Santiago de Cali and later went on to teach in that field. She was contacted by Hernández because a family member sent her resume to the engineer, who liked her profile and called her with the invitation. “My life has suddenly changed, I had never thought of going into politics,” she told a local media outlet. “I’m happy because this is a pivotal moment for Colombia, and our ticket is offering a transformation.”
If the duo is elected, the idea is that the deputy will dedicate herself to designing the education area — the campaign plan is uncertain on many issues. With a more timid and discreet profile, in the Castillo campaign he held more meetings in auditoriums with academics, students and businessmen.
