For the first time in history, a left-wing government has won in Colombia. Now comes the hard part

Gustavo Petro’s election is already prompting fear among the country’s oligarchs and entrenched elites, writes Borzou Daragahi

The election is part of a ‘pink wave’ across Latin America (Reuters)

It was an unprecedented moment, but the challenges and hurdles ahead will be of even greater enormity. Colombia, one of Latin America’s most culturally, militarily and politically important nations, elected for the first time in its history not only a left-wing president, but a vice-president hailing from the country’s long-marginalised African-Colombian community.

President-elect Gustavo Petro, a former leftist guerilla fighter turned politician, and his running mate Francia Marquez, a prominent environmental activist and lawyer who once worked as a maid, were triumphant after the vote.

“We have to build a democracy in Colombia, and we will build it by enabling a pluralism of consciousnesses, ideologies and colours,” the 62-year-old Petro said in his speech after the 19 June victory.