Two sides of a political chasm share one fear in Colombia´s...
As Colombia heads into a pivotal presidential vote, two people represent the nation's enduring fear of renewed violence. Blanca Nubia Monroy, who bears a tattoo of a justice scale after her 19-year-old son Julian Oviedo disappeared in 2008 and was later found in a clandestine grave, backs peace activist Iván Cepeda. Sigifredo López, who spent seven years as a hostage and survived a 2007 massacre, backs Abelardo de la Espriella, a Trump-endorsed lawyer who promises a hard line on crime. The country has recorded more than 10 million victims—about one in five—as conflict remains a defining backdrop to Sunday's vote.
Experts warn that the campaign has polarized society and could rekindle violence, a concern echoed by Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group. Cepeda would pursue Gustavo Petro's 'total peace' agenda by negotiating pacts with a range of criminal groups, while de la Espriella advocates a stronger crackdown on crime. Voters' memories of displacement and killings shape choices and threaten fragile security gains. With the election day approaching, the piece frames it as a critical test of Colombia's ability to balance peace initiatives with security commitments.
