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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 8 sepTember 2022

Ex-rebel takes oath as Colombia president in historic shift

By MANUEL RUEDA lion a year tax reform that
Associated Press would boost taxes on the
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — rich and do away with cor-
Colombia’s first leftist presi- porate tax breaks.
dent was sworn into office Petro has also said he wants
Sunday, promising to fight to start peace talks with re-
inequality and heralding a maining rebel groups that
turning point in the history are currently fighting over
of a country haunted by drug routes, gold mines
a long war between the and other resources aban-
government and guerrilla doned by the FARC after
groups. their peace deal with the
Sen. Gustavo Petro, a for- government.
mer member of Colombia’s “He’s got a very ambitious
M-19 guerrilla group, won agenda,” said Yan Basset,
the presidential election in a political scientist at Bogo-
June by beating conser- ta’s Rosario University.
vative parties that offered “But he will have to pri-
moderate changes to the oritize. The risk Petro faces
market-friendly economy, is that he goes after too
but failed to connect with many reforms at once and
voters frustrated by ris- gets nothing” through Co-
ing poverty and violence President-elect Gustavo Petro smiles during a ‘popular and spiritual’ inauguration ceremony lombia’s congress.
against human rights lead- presided over by local Indigenous groups and feminist activists, in Bogota, Colombia, Saturday, Eight heads of state attend-
ers and environmental Aug. 6, 2022. Associated Press ed Petro’s inauguration,
groups in rural areas. which was held at a large
Petro is part of a growing of being soft on crime or al- Petro, 62, has promised to to combat climate change colonial-era square in front
group of leftist politicians lied with guerrillas. tackle Colombia’s social or bring infrastructure to ru- of Colombia’s Congress.
and political outsiders who A 2016 peace deal be- and economic inequalities ral areas where many farm- Stages with live music
have been winning elec- tween Colombia’s govern- by boosting spending on ers say coca leaves are the and big screens were also
tions in Latin America since ment and the Revolution- anti-poverty programs and only viable crop. placed in parks across Bo-
the pandemic broke out ary Armed Forces of Co- increasing investment in ru- The incoming president gota’s city center so that
and hurt incumbents who lombia turned much of the ral areas. has said Colombia will tens of thousands of citi-
struggled with its economic focus of voters away from He has described U.S.-led stop granting new licens- zens without invitations to
aftershocks. the violent conflicts playing antinarcotics policies, such es for oil exploration and the main event could join in
The ex-rebel’s victory was out in rural areas and gave as the forced eradica- will ban fracking projects, the festivities. That marked
also exceptional for Co- prominence to problems tion of illegal coca crops, even though the oil indus- a big change for Colombia
lombia, where voters had like poverty and corrup- as a “big failure.” But he try makes up almost 50% of where previous presidential
been historically reluctant tion, fueling the popularity has said he would like to the nation’s legal exports. inaugurations were more
to back leftist politicians of leftist parties in national work with Washington “as He plans to finance social somber events limited to a
who were often accused elections. equals,” building schemes spending with a $10 bil- few hundred VIP guests.q

Firefighters battle big blaze at Cuba tank farm for 2nd day

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Mexico and Venezuela on ince of Matanzas. fighters had gone missing more than 100 kilometers
Associated Press Sunday as they battled for The blaze began Friday while trying to quell flames, (62 miles) to Havana. The
HAVANA (AP) — Cuban a second day to control a night when lightning struck but there was no word if he Ministry of Science and
firefighters were joined fire blazing at a big oil tank a storage tank during a was one of those. Technology said Sunday
by special teams sent by farm in the western prov- thunder storm, and the fire Conditions were still too that the cloud contained
spread to a second tank dangerous to mount a sulfur dioxide, nitrogen ox-
early Saturday, triggering a search for the missing fire- ide, carbon monoxide and
series of explosions, officials fighters, officials said. other toxic substances.
have said. A total of 122 people were The disaster comes as
“The mission of the day is to treated for injuries, includ- Cuba struggles with a se-
keep the third tank cold,” ing five that officials said vere economic and energy
in hopes of preventing the were in critical condition. crisis, with frequent power
flames from spreading into The governor said 4,946 blackouts hitting during a
more of the site, provincial people had been evacu- torrid summer. It was un-
Gov. Mario Sabines said. ated, mostly from the Du- known how much fuel had
Most of the fuel held in the brocq neighborhood, been lost to the flames.
tank where the fire initially which is next to the Matan- Cuba’s government had
started was believed to zas Supertanker Base in appealed for help Satur-
have been consumed, offi- Matanzas city. The facility’s day from oil nations, and
cials said. Authorities said a eight huge storage tanks specialized firefighting
body found at the site Sat- hold oil used to fuel elec- teams began arriving with
A helicopter carrying water flies over the Matanzas Supertanker urday had been identified tricity generation. their equipment from Mexi-
Base, as firefighters try to quell the blaze which began during a as firefighter Juan Carlos Dense black smoke bil- co and Venezuela late Sat-
thunderstorm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, Saturday, Santana, 60. Officials previ- lowed up from the tank urday. q
Aug. 6, 2022. ously said a group of 17 fire- farm and spread westward
Associated Press