Following Gustavo Petro's election as President of Colombia yesterday, his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, published a statement congratulating Petro on his victory.

The statement reads:

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro Moros, congratulates the Colombian people and government, on behalf of the people of Venezuela, for the historic day of elections held on Sunday, June 19, and the election of Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego as President of the Republic of Colombia and Francia Marquez as Vice President.

The sovereign people of Colombia took to the streets, out of their own will, to exercise their right to vote and express their will for change. This is a victory that reflects the will of the majority of the people, who are seeking justice, equality, and peace in their country, which they recite in their national anthem: "In furrows of pain, goodness now germinates."

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its will to work on building a new era of comprehensive relations for the greater good of the nation we share, protected by two sovereign republics, whose destiny can never be indifference, but rather cooperation, solidarity, and peace for sister nations.

Viva Colombia!

Caracas, June 19, 2022.

Gustavo Petro elected Colombia's first leftist president

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% compared to Hernandez's 47.3%.

"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," Petro said.

Leftist leaders congratulate Petro

Leftist leaders in the Latin American region were quick to congratulate Petro.

"Gustavo Petro's victory is historic. Colombia's conservatives have always been tenacious and tough," tweeted Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

El triunfo de Gustavo Petro es histórico.

Los conservadores de Colombia siempre han sido tenaces y duros. El escritor José María Vargas Vila relataba que los dictadores de su país "mojaban en agua bendita su puñal antes de matar". 1/3

— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) June 19, 2022

Chile's President Gabriel Boric said, "Joy for Latin America! We will work together for the unity of our continent in the challenges of a world-changing rapidly."

Similarly, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro considered that "the will of the Colombian people has been heard, it went out to defend the path to democracy and peace."

Felicito a Gustavo Petro y a Francia Márquez, por la histórica victoria en las elecciones Presidenciales en Colombia. Se escuchó la voluntad del pueblo colombiano, que salió a defender el camino de la democracia y la Paz. Nuevos tiempos se avizoran para este hermano país. pic.twitter.com/FxodCn9Uqx

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 19, 2022