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News > Latin America

Petro: Democratization Of Land, Education In Colombia

  • Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, speaks during interview with Reuters in Bogota, Colombia, April 10, 2018. Picture taken April 10, 2018

    Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro, speaks during interview with Reuters in Bogota, Colombia, April 10, 2018. Picture taken April 10, 2018 | Photo: Reuters

Published 7 May 2018
Opinion

Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro says social and economic inequality is what creates violence in Colombia, and he wants to turn that around.

Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro tells TeleSUR that if elected May 27 he’ll focus the country’s economic system towards agricultural production.

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Petro, from the Colombia For A Progressive Movement party says, "I want to make a change in Colombia where the economy is based on rural agricultural work and industry. … The 21st century means knowing about agriculture and industry."

He elaborated: "The democratization of land in Colombia will allow us definitive peace." Petro added that the democratization of land, education and credits will generate "dignity" and higher incomes in Colombia.

"Democratization of land in Colombia will let us reach definitive peace," says presidential candidate Gustavo Petro

The Colombian candidate also emphasized he will implement education reforms to guarantee greater access to the population.

"The focus of the educational reform will be to enable all Colombian youths to access higher education because tuition excludes the majority (of would be students)", asserted Petro.

Citizen participation in politics and peace is crucial to the progressive presidential candidate. "Society has to create peace, but it should be made in conjunction with large-scale accords," Petro said in his interview.

Colombia, says Petro is a society that is highly unequal. It’s the "third most unequal country in the world," he told TeleSUR tonight, adding "the base of Colombian violence is in its social inequality."

When asked if he thought there would be voter fraud in the upcoming presidential election Petro openly acknowledge the country’s institutionalized electoral fraud. "There has always been (election) fraud in Colombia. Votes are permanently bought. Candidates with money throw it towards poor people. ... I think this will be their failure," stated Petro.

Petro says he wants to confront the root of the narco-trafficking situation in the country in order to regain peace.

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