This Sunday, June 19, Colombians are voting for the second round of the presidential election. Two candidates compete, that of the left Gustavo Petro, who was until the first round the favorite of the polls, and a surprise candidate Rodolfo Hernandez, a millionaire who presents himself without a political label. The election is taking place in a tense context since the authorities fear violence during and after the vote. The voice of women could decide between the candidates.
With our correspondent in Medellin, Najet Benrabaa
Of the 39 million Colombian citizens eligible to vote, more than 20 million are women and around 18,900,000 are men. Women could therefore tip the scales.
The left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro regularly receives official support from women. Among them, the actress who took part in the acclaimed Disney film, Encanto, Maria Cecilia Botero, but also the senator of the Green party, Angelica Lozano. ” This is for every single person, for the 8.5 million Colombians who have decided that Gustavo Petro and Francia Marquez will lead this stage of Colombia’s change, she explains. I vote for women, for the forgotten, to connect these different Colombias who do not dialogue and to ensure that inequalities disappear. »
” It’s better for women to support from home »
The independent candidate Rodolfo Hernandez has more difficulty seducing women voters, especially after this statement during an interview for Besame radio: “ You believe that women can and should lead projects, asks a journalist, that they can handle ? » « No, no, no, it’s better for women to comment and support from home, Hernandez responds. A woman in government does not please people. »
On Sunday, the two candidates present themselves with vice-presidents. We will see if women’s votes will make a difference.
The campaign for the second round was a pretty dirty campaign, with a lot of dirty tricks and very little debate on the substance…
The finalists neck and neck: analysis by Yann Basset, professor of political science at the University of Rosario, in Colombia
► To read also: Presidential election in Colombia: a close and high-risk ballot