Colombia’s presidential run-off on June 19th is close
Rodolfo Hernández is riding a wave of anti-establishment fervour
The casa nariño does not look like the headquarters of a political campaign, despite being recently named after Colombia’s presidential palace. The two-storey house in Bucaramanga, a sleepy mid-size city, has just one or two campaign posters on the walls. A handful of supporters mill around outside, selling homemade hats and shirts. Yet this is where Rodolfo Hernández, a 77-year-old civil engineer, millionaire and former mayor of Bucaramanga, has based a threadbare campaign for president which has made him a surprise front-runner. Polls suggest he is tied with Gustavo Petro, a leftist former guerrilla, ahead of the run-off on June 19th.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Here comes Rodolfo”
From the June 18th 2022 edition
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