By Isaac Dahl
On June 19, 2022 Gustavo Petro of the political party Pacto Histórico (a left-wing party) was elected as the new president of Colombia. For many rural communities, it is a welcome change as the right-wing parties have ruled for a long time and many people in rural populations have seen very few improvements in education, health, and opportunities, amongst other things. For many there is hope that the change of president could positively influence the direction of the country with respect to these issues, while for others Petro’s presidency signals a new era that could be too leftist and lead Colombia into the same situation as Venezuela.
To further understand feelings about the new president and the fundamental issues that influenced voting, I interviewed two people from the church about their wishes for the country and the new government. I presented the interviewees with the following questions:
- For you, what was the most important political issue that influenced your vote?
- According to you, what is the most important change that needs to happen for a better Colombia?
- How do you expect to see the new president, Gustavo Petro, carry out this change?
Regarding question number one, Monpat* expressed a desire to see a return to the Peace Accord as well as new dialogues between the other armed groups and the government, so that Colombians affected by the armed conflict can live in peace. Monpat continued on the topic of the conflict, saying that she would like to see better opportunities, for example in the areas of education and work, for those affected by the armed conflict – especially for young people and people living in rural communities. She also mentioned that she would like to see resources better distributed to the population – referring to corruption at a governmental level, which negatively affects the Colombian population.
The issues that More* talked about were the desire to see diversity and a new political party that would better represent the rural population – that’s to say, people who know and are part of the poorer sectors but have never have never received presidential representation before. Speaking about the most important change for the country, More said she would like to see an educational system that trains students to recognize and celebrate diversity in areas such as ethnicity and economic, social, and political class differences. In closing, More reiterated that she hopes to see the new government include representatives from under-resourced parts of the country so that they can carry out positive change in these places. She hopes for a government that, apart from political party differences, can use each other’s strengths to unite and contribute to the welfare of the country.
Listening to the perspectives of the interviewees and other brothers and sisters from Chocó has helped me clarify what issues are most important to them. They desire a community where everyone can contribute in an honorable way and where everyone can proudly offer their talents regardless of where they come from or their social class. One key to making this happen is job opportunities that allow them to live without worrying about basic needs such as tomorrow’s food. Another is access to a health care system that improves their quality of life in order to work and an educational system that strengthens their gifts. Hopefully, in these changes along with peaceful dialogues between the armed groups, the victims, and the government, the Colombian people will find peace.
*Names changed for privacy
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