How Ivan Cepeda emerged a frontrunner in Colombia’s presidential election
Al Jazeera – News
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A soft-spoken senator, Cepeda spent years advocating for victims of state crimes. But critics say taking on a president made him a 'hero to the left'. Bogota, Colombia – He had the look of a middle-aged schoolteacher. His back seemed slightly sloped, a grey cardigan hung from his shoulders, and a pair of glasses were perched atop his nose. But as Ivan Cepeda waded through the crowds at a surprise rally on June 3 in downtown Bogota, young supporters thronged to see him. In the March legislative elections, for instance, the group won 25 seats in the Senate and 42 in the House of Representatives — the most of any party in either chamber. As Colombia's first left-wing president, Petro had seen his public approval ratings slump during much of his term. Cepeda was eventually elected to Congress in 2010. On the floor of Congress, he repeatedly confronted Alvaro Uribe, the two-time right-wing president whom Cepeda accused of collusion with paramilitary groups and drug cartels. "We must address the issue with complete frankness and, above all, correct it going forward," he told Duzan in an interview.
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Critics say Cepeda, a soft-spoken senator, became a 'hero to the left' after he took on a right-wing president in court.
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