Very popular in France, controversial in Colombia, the old hostage presented itself under the colors of its own party, but its candidacy has never taken off in the polls. Nine days before the ballot, she throws in the towel.
Le Monde with afp
Franco-Colombian and ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt announced on Friday May 20, the withdrawal of his candidacy for the May 29 May in Colombia and his rally to an independent candidate, Rodolfo Hernandez. “Today I made the decision to support the only candidacy that can end the system,” said M Me Betancourt during a press conference in Baranquilla (North) , alongside Mr. Hernandez.
“The two candidates signed an agreement to unite their forces in the first round”, according to a joint statement from their two teams. A decision “based on the conviction that there are more things uniting candidates than things that separate them”, explains the text, evoking “the ethical management of public affairs”, as well as “the incessant struggle against political politics and corruption “.
Franco-Colombian presented herself under the colors of her own ecological party, oxygen green, bearing feminist discourse and against corruption. She wanted an alternative between the left candidate Gustavo Petro, in mind in the polls, and the representative of a right coalition Frederico Gutierrez. But his candidacy has never taken off, however, falling to 0.8 % of voting intentions according to a last survey of the Institute Invamer published on Friday.
thunderous declarations
M Betancourt was part at the start of the campaign of a centrist coalition which she finally burst by her thunderous statements against her partners, accusing them of being complacent with corruption.
She then decided to present herself in the colors of her own party, but also confused by her very lively attacks against other candidates, then her hand stretched to the former hard right, Alvaro Uibe (2002-2010), head of the democratic center, currently gone to power. It was under her presidency that she had been released from the hands of the Farc during a clandestine army operation.
Very popular in France, Ingrid Betancourt, 60, remains a relatively controversial character in Colombia, where she hardly arouses sympathy and where she is criticized for having tried to take advantage of her detention.
She withdraws for the benefit of Mr. Hernandez, given in third position in the polls, a 77 -year -old businessman and former mayor of the city of Bucaramanga (North), independent of traditional parties, unclassifiable politically but often Taxé of populist.
Six candidates, all men
According to M Me Betancourt, candidate Hernandez is “the only one who can allow the holding of a second round and defeat Petro and Gutierrez”. After this announcement, there are six candidates in the presidential race, all men.
According to the latest Invamer survey, the head of the left coalition of the historic pact, ex-Guerillero converted to the social democracy and former mayor of Bogota, retains his first place (41 %), but is however down Two points.
The conservative candidate and ex-mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutierrez, arrives in second position with 27.1 %, followed by Mr. Hernandez who goes up in recent days to 20.9 %. The centrist and ex-ally candidate of M Me Betancourt, Sergio Fajardo, is only credited with 5.1 %.