Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 12 March 2018

Colombia’s former guerrillas face first electoral test

By MANUEL RUEDA “There are parts of the
Associated Press country where people sup-
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) port us,” Catatumbo earlier
— Colombia’s former left- told Colombia’s Caracol
ist guerrillas faced their first Radio. “In many regions of
electoral challenge as a the country we have been
political party Sunday in received enthusiastically,
congressional voting that with horse parades and
also measured the strength motorcycle shows.”
of the country’s main po- Opinion polls and political
litical factions two months analysts, however, suggest
before presidential elec- the composition of Co-
tions. lombia’s congress will not
Analysts see the balloting change drastically with the
for the Senate and House former rebels receiving little
of Representatives as a test support. Center-right par-
of the democratic viability ties, whose lists are stacked
of the political party that with regional electoral bar-
emerged from the Revo- ons, are expected to take
lutionary Armed Forces of around 60 percent of the
Colombia, which fought seats.
the state for 52 years un- The Peace and Reconcili-
til a historic peace deal in ation Foundation says that
2016. The new party has the Ivan Marquez, who is running for Senator with the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force political 65 politicians tied to cor-
party (FARC), leaves a voting station during legislative elections in Bogota, Colombia, Sunday,
same Spanish initials as the March 11, 2018. Colombia’s former leftist guerrillas face their first electoral test as a political party ruption scandals could win
rebel group: the FARC. Sunday in congressional voting also seen as a measure of the strength of the country’s factions seats because of their abil-
“I think this is a crucial mo- two months before presidential elections. ity to buy votes in rural and
ment for Colombia,” said (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) impoverished areas.
Pablo Catatumbo, a for- tank, said, “The FARC are in half century of brutal con- The ex-rebels have also ex- “This election will help us
mer rebel commander who a tough position.” flict. pressed fears of irregulari- to measure just how much
is now a Senate candidate “If they get a low turnout, Casting a shadow over the ties in the electoral process politics has changed in Co-
for the FARC, after casting as is expected, their con- FARC’s political ambitions is and difficulties accessing lombia,” Valencia said.
his ballot in Bogota. “It’s gressmen will be shunned. the recent withdrawal of its campaign funds. Some of Sunday’s election also in-
the first time in my life that I They will not be seen as presidential candidate for Londono’s campaign stops cluded two presidential
have voted and I am doing true representatives of the health reasons. Former reb- were met with protests. primaries, one for leftist
so for the sake of peace,” people,” said Valencia, el leader Rodrigo Londono, The FARC’s leaders have candidates and another
the 64-year-old said. referring to the fact that more commonly known by said that despite these for candidates backed by
But Leon Valencia, a for- the FARC is guaranteed 10 nom-de-guerre Timochen- “obstacles” they hope to conservative movements.
mer combatant who now seats in congress under the ko, underwent successful prove they have a future in A shortage of primary bal-
directs the Peace and Rec- terms of the peace deal heart surgery last week and Colombia’s political land- lots at some polling places
onciliation Foundation think that ended more than a earlier suffered a stroke. scape. led to protests in several cit-
Chile again veers right as Pinera returns to presidency

By EVA VERGARA in a similar ceremony four second round as president, Ibanes University. own sometimes fractious
Associated Press years ago. with the economy — and His first administration was coalition, which includes
SANTIAGO, CHILE (AP) — Pinera, a billionaire entre- the president’s popular- marked by massive street parties that backed the
Conservative Sebastian preneur, oversaw growth ity — slipping badly in 2014 demonstrations to demand dictatorship of Gen. Au-
Pinera returned to Chile’s that averaged 5.3 percent and 2015. The country’s first reforms to education and gusto Pinochet from 1973
presidency on Sunday, a year during his first term female president had been other services, as well as by to 1990. “We have to see
vowing to revive an econo- from 2010 to 2014, aided wildly popular when she the start of softening cop- effectively if the right, for
my that has slumped under by pro-business policies, ris- ended her initial term by per prices, and he left of- the first time in history, has
center-left leader Michelle ing prices for Chile’s chief handing power to Pinera. fice with favorability ratings the capacity to work as a
Bachelet. export, copper, and a mas- “From day one, Pinera is in the 30s. Pinera, whose first team,” said political ana-
The outgoing leader hand- sive rebuilding effort follow- going to want to show that term ended 20 years of left- lyst Miguel Zlosilo.
ed the presidential sash to ing a magnitude 8.8 earth- under him, the wheels of leaning governments, has Among those at the cer-
the president of Congress, quake that hit just before the economy will start to said he hopes to work with emony were the presidents
who then swore in Pinera he took office. spin again,” said Cristob- center-left rivals to achieve of Argentina, Bolivia, Bra-
— who himself had turned A slump in copper prices al Bellolio, a professor of his goals, but he also faces zil, Ecuador, Mexico and
over the office to Bachelet helped sour Bachelet’s government at the Adolfo a challenge of herding his Peru.q