Colombia's climate crossroads: Trumpism casts shadow over presidential battle

Environmental activists gather in a Caribbean neighborhood to hear Susana Muhamad, a prominent socio-environmental campaigner, ahead of Colombia’s presidential election. The election is framed as a choice between maintaining leadership on climate action and popular environmentalism or moving toward fracking, mining, and other fossil-fuel extractivism. The movement expects a difficult fight. Gustavo Petro cannot serve a consecutive second term, so Ivan Cepeda is selected to continue Petro’s policies. Competing candidates are described as supportive of reopening oil production and fracking. US involvement is a concern, including statements about possible military intervention. Muhamad urges winning the first round to prevent a four-year suspension of progress and warns Colombia could align with Donald Trump. She cites achievements such as declaring part of the Amazon rainforest a fossil fuel-free zone.

"Several hours after dark in a quiet Caribbean neighbourhood, a cluster of environmental activists gather on plastic chairs between a mango tree and a courtyard wall emblazoned with the words: Colombia, respira! (breathe Colombia). So many people have turned up that some are forced to stand. That is because tonight's speaker, Susana Muhamad, is one of the most admired socio-environmental campaigners in the world and this is a moment of profound historical significance."

"This month's presidential election will decide whether Colombia remains a global leader on the climate and exemplar of popular environmentalism, or whether it switches to the side of fracking, mining and other forms of fossil-fuelled extractivism. In other words, whether it will change from green to grey. The movement is braced for a struggle."

"Muhamad, a former environment minister, tells the attendees: We must win in the first round because the future of Colombia will be decided here, in this very complicated international context. If we don't win, our country will be another in Latin America aligned with Donald Trump. We have to win. Otherwise, everything we're talking about will be completely suspended for four years. Goodbye."

"Muhamad speaks of the progress Colombia has made in declaring its part of the Amazon rainforest a fossil fuel-free zone, how president Petro "

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