The first round of the presidential election is underway in Colombia — France24
The first round of the presidential election is underway in Colombia, accompanied by a deep divide in society over the candidates' differing views on the future of the peace process.
This is reported by the authoritative international news agency France24.
Residents of this South American country, which has suffered from a bloody internal conflict for many decades, face a fateful choice.
Experts view the current vote as a kind of referendum on the political course of outgoing left-wing President Gustavo Petro.
It is important to note that these elections are taking place exactly 10 years after the Colombian government signed a historic peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.
At the time, this landmark agreement gave Colombians real hope of breaking the vicious cycle of violent conflict between rebels and government forces.
However, since then, violence in the country has flared up with renewed intensity, reaching its peak just on the eve of the current presidential race.
Local criminal groups are increasingly carrying out insidious attacks using modern drones, and the election campaign itself has been marred by a series of armed attacks.
In particular, last June, 39-year-old prominent politician and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was fatally wounded while speaking at a political rally.
In a country where the relentless struggle for peace has long been a central part of the overall political agenda, the issue of conflict resolution once again radically divides society.
Currently, there are 14 candidates on the ballot, but the race has effectively turned into a fierce contest between three main frontrunners.
Colombia Launches a Giant Anti-Drone Shield — Defence Blog
As a reminder, Colombia is maintaining a cautious stance amid threats from the U.S.
The Colombian president also responded sharply to Trump.
