The front-runner for Colombia’s election faces death threats
The country has a long history of political murder
FOR MONTHS opinion polls have made Gustavo Petro, a leftist populist, the front-runner in Colombia’s presidential election, which is due to take place on May 29th. But Mr Petro’s challenge is not just to defeat his rivals, chief among them Federico Gutiérrez, a centre-right former mayor of Medellín. It is also to stay alive. Earlier this month Mr Petro cancelled a two-day campaign trip, for reasons of security. His team said it had information that La Cordillera, a paramilitary group, was planning to kill him.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Staying alive”
From the May 14th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from The Americas
Canada and America have been fighting about timber for 40 years
As Donald Trump takes office, the chances of a lumber deal look slim
Justin Trudeau steps down, leaving a wrecked party and a divided Canada
Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland are among those tipped as the next Liberal leader
Does made in Mexico mean made by China?
Donald Trump believes Mexico is a trojan horse for Chinese mercantilism
Failure to prepare for climate change is costing Honduras dear
Weeks after the most recent storm, the country is still in emergency mode
Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro looks set to take the throne
Relying on a fabricated election victory, the incumbent will be sworn in again
Why Spanish firms have cooled towards Latin America
Slow growth and messy politics are largely to blame