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Petro under the spotlight - Agencia Efe |
The red flag was hoisted high above the Lievano Palace in Bogota on the afternoon of 1 January, announcing the official start of the Gustavo Petro era.
Petro, once a hard-line ultra-left guerrilla militant, has morphed into a populist, centre(ish)-left elected mayor, in charge of Colombia's capital city.
Until a fortnight ago, Petro had only known life as an opposition politician. He now has the second most important job in the country. Critics complain that he lacks the experience necessary to run a city of 8 million souls, and that he is an ideologue, not an administrator. Supporters respond that he is a principled man with strong beliefs, who has brought together a cabinet of wise heads.
After years of relentlessly attacking those who held the reins of power, Petro has four years to prove he knows what to do now they're in his hands.