Colombia's new President, Gustavo Petro, was once a member of M-19 — a wild rebel group that stole the Sword of Simon Bolivar and is rumoured to have worked with and against Pablo Escobar.
Bolivar — who freed much of South America from Spanish rule — died in Colombia in 1830.They promised to return it by December 18, 1990, the 160th anniversary of Bolivar's death.The sword was also rumoured to have passed into the hands of infamous drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, in return for favours granted to the M-19.In that same year, the sword was eventually returned to its home in a ceremony led by the members of the rebel group, according to The Associated Press.
The 62-year-old senator and former Bogota mayor also credits the 1973 military coup that ended the rule of Chile's socialist President Salvador Allende as a reason to enter politics.Mr Petro — the son of a teacher — pledged to fight the "feudal" oligarchy enriching itself at the expense of Colombia's poor, he said.
Mr Petro's win is said to mark a drastic change in presidential politics for Colombia, which has long marginalised the left for its perceived association with armed conflict.Gustavo Petro pledged to fight inequality with free university education and pension reforms.