Gustavo Petro vs Vicky Dávila: Comparing Two Political Leaders

Who they are and where they stand

Gustavo Petro is a Colombian politician and economist who became Colombia's first left-wing president in August 2022. A former member of the M-19 guerrilla movement who demobilised in the 1990s, he served as a senator, as Mayor of Bogotá (2012–2015), and ran for president three times before winning. His presidency has pursued "total peace" negotiations with armed groups, ambitious social reform, and a transition away from fossil fuel dependency — placing him in direct conflict with entrenched economic and political interests. Vicky Dávila is a Colombian journalist who spent decades as one of the country's most prominent investigative reporters and media directors before entering electoral politics. As director of Semana — Colombia's most-read news magazine — she built a national profile exposing government misconduct. She resigned to pursue the 2026 presidential race and leads most polls on the right of centre.