Ex-rebel wins Colombian presidency
Ex-guerrilla Gustavo Petro was elected the first ever left-wing president of Colombia on Sunday, after beating millionaire businessman Rodolfo Hernandez in a tense and unpredictable runoff election.
With all votes counted, Petro -- the 62-year-old former mayor of Bogota -- won with 50.4 percent to Hernandez's 47.3 percent.
"As of today, Colombia is changing, a real change that guides us to one of our aims: the politics of love... of understanding and dialogue," said Petro.
Hernandez, 77, accepted the result, in which he came up short by 700,000 votes. Speaking to supporters at party headquarters, Petro held out an olive branch to his opponents.
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