Colombia Elections 2022: Iván Duque casts his vote and highlights the “historic milestone” of the peace seats

the president of Colombia, Ivan Dukeexercised his right to vote this Sunday, inaugurating election day, and asked Colombians to do so “with their hands on their hearts” while highlighting the “historical milestone” that the victims of the conflict can elect for the first time a 16 representatives to the Chamber.

This Sunday, in addition to choosing the new composition of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the candidates for the Presidency of three coalitions, in a kind of internal coalition, Colombians from the rural areas hardest hit by the armed conflict will be able to choose 16 “peace seats”.

“Today, for the first time, the victims will be present through the popular vote, a historical milestone that should make us all proud because it was unthinkable that only the perpetrators would have been given a place”considered the Colombian president.

Duque was the first citizen to exercise his right to voteat 8:00 sharp at polling station number 1, installed in the National Capitol, located on the south side of the Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá, and arrived accompanied by the first lady, María Juliana Ruiz, together with members of her team of government.

“Citizens must vote with their hands on their hearts, with a clear conscience, without pressure,” said Duque, after depositing the ballots in the ballot boxes.

The president considered that this day should be “an opportunity to reflect on the wisdom of the proposals and in which polarization and demagoguery are rejected.”

Likewise, the president invited Colombia to come out “to vote en masse and with enthusiasm” to demonstrate to the world “that once again Colombia’s democracy is becoming stronger.”

“I want to thank all the citizens who will go to the polls, our democracy is strong and solid, and the triumph of democracy is also a triumph over violence,” concluded the president.

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