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Former rebel Gustavo Petro narrowly won a runoff election over a political outsider millionaire Sunday, ushering in a new era of politics for Colombia by becoming the country’s first leftist president, Associated Press.

Petro, a senator in his third attempt to win the presidency, got 50.48% of the votes, while real estate magnate Rodolfo Hernández had 47.26%, with almost all ballots counted, according to results released by election authorities. 

Petro’s victory underlined a drastic change in presidential politics for a country that has long marginalized the left for its perceived association with the armed conflict. Petro himself was once a rebel with the now-defunct M-19 movement and was granted amnesty after being jailed for his involvement with the group.

“Today is a day of celebration for the people. Let them celebrate the first popular victory,” Petro tweeted. “May so many sufferings be cushioned in the joy that today floods the heart of the Homeland.”

Petro issued a call for unity during his victory speech and extended an olive branch to some of his harshest critics, saying all members of the opposition will be welcomed at the presidential palace “to discuss the problems of Colombia.”

“From this government that is beginning there will never be political persecution or legal persecution, there will only be respect and dialogue,” he said, adding that he will listen to not only those who have raised arms but also to “that silent majority of peasants, Indigenous people, women, youth.”

Outgoing conservative President Iván Duque congratulated Petro shortly after results were announced, and Hernández quickly conceded his defeat, according to Associated Press.

“I accept the result, as it should be, if we want our institutions to be firm,” Hernández said in a video on social media. “I sincerely hope that this decision is beneficial for everyone.”

Colombia also elected its first Black woman to be vice president. Petro’s running mate, Francia Márquez, is a lawyer and environmental leader whose opposition to illegal mining has resulted in threats and a grenade attack in 2019.

The vote came amid widespread discontent over rising inequality, inflation and violence — factors that led voters in the election’s first round last month to turn their backs on long-governing centrist and right-leaning politicians and choose two outsiders in Latin America’s third-most populous nation.

Petro’s showing was the latest leftist political victory in Latin America fueled by voters’ desire for change. Chile, Peru and Honduras elected leftist presidents in 2021, and in Brazil, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is leading the polls for this year’s presidential election. 

“What I do think it shows is that the strategy of fear, hate and stigmatization towards the left no longer works as a policy to win voters,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for Colombia at the firm International Crisis Group. 

But the results were an immediate reason to fret for some voters whose closest reference to a leftist government is the troubled neighboring Venezuela, Associated Press reported.

“We hope that Mr. Gustavo Petro complies with what was said in his government plan, that he leads this country to greatness, which we need so much, and that (he) ends corruption,” said Karin Ardila García, a Hernández supporter in the north-central city of Bucaramanga. “That he does not lead to communism, to socialism, to a war where they continue to kill us in Colombia. ... (H)e does not lead us to another Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Chile.”

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that he will inform the Parliament about his visit to the United States only after it is formally confirmed.

During a meeting with Nepali Congress whip Pushpa Bhusal, the Prime Minister said that he will inform the Parliament and the Parliamentary Committee after his visit is confirmed.

Earlier this morning, the Prime Minister snubbed the meeting of the International Relations Committee under the Federal Parliament called to discuss the State Partnership Program (SPP) and his planned visit to Washington.  He skipped the meeting citing his busy schedule.

In the meeting of the Committee held earlier, Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka said that the preliminary discussion has been held about the Prime Minister’s US visit but the final decision has not been made yet.

A complaint has been filed against Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Ale.

The complaint was registered against Minister Ale after his audio of using obscene words became public one after another.

Saying that the minister violated the code of conduct of the House of Representatives, law practitioners Kishor Paudel, Anupam Bhattarai and law student Regine Paudel lodged the complaint against him.

The Annapurna Post, the sister publication of the Annapurna Express, made public the audio of Minister Ale yelling and assaulting the chairman of Nepal Airlines.

Saying that the minister, who has got the responsibility of making a civilized and cultured society, is going against the law, they have demanded action against him.

Speaker and Chairman is the Conduct Monitoring Committee Agni Prasad Sapkota, opposition party leader KP Sharma Oli and committee secretary and general secretary of the House of Representatives have been given the copy of the complaint.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale has said that it is the need of the hour to preserve and protect religion and culture of the country.

All should come together to preserve religion, art and culture of their own, he said while laying the foundation stone for the construction of the Badikedar trail, a popular trail of Sudurpaschim Province amid a function here today.

"Country's ancient art, culture and religion are identity of us Nepali people. They should be preserved and protected. We can cash in on them as foreign tourists visit Nepal to observe them," he said.

He also expressed his concerns about encroachment by modernity in the country's folk culture, religion and art, thus bringing them at risk of disappearance.

The minister allocated Rs 90 million for the construction of the trail that would facilitate visit of pilgrims to Badikedar Tample, a religious tourism destination, located in the southern belt of Doti district in Sudurpaschim Province, said Dipendra Raj Siradi, executive officer of the Badikedar Area Tourism Development and Management Committee.

Under the project, resting places, steps and railings will be constructed, he said. Pilgrims from home and neighbouring India visit the temple for worshipping. One worshipping at the temple gets their wishes come true, according to a mythology.