There has been a shift in the politics of Colombia. The country has elected its first leftist president. Colombia was under right-wing administrations for a number of decades. The country had struggled with problems related to narcoterrorism and civil war. Francia Marquez will serve as vice president to the Petro administration. Gustavo Petro was active in the M19 group a guerilla organization that fought the government. Gustavo Petro also was mayor of Bogota and currently served in the senate. Leftism is making a comeback, after a number reactionary governments spread across Latin America. Honduras was the first to fall by coup. Then came Brazil and there have been attempts to depose the government of Venezuela. Nicaragua and Cuba have been targets of external conspirators. Colombia might find itself a target of US interference considering it is a leftist government. Colombia has since 1964 been in conflict with a number of right-wing paramilitary groups and leftists guerilla forces. The peace deal with FARC did not end all hostilities. President Gustavo Petro must navigate through a country plagued by political factionalism, conflict, and the threat of a possible coup. While there are both domestic and foreign policy challenges, his election is a victory for Latin American leftists.
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