The first left-wing president in colombian history Gustavo Petro has been sworn into office in a ceremony attended by thousands of people in bogata's main square, Mr Petro, a former marxist rebel called for a fresh international strategy to deal with global drug trafficking saying that the war on drugs of the past four decades has failed Sylvia lennon spence reports.
It's an important day for colombia as the latin american country's first ever left-wing president gustavo petro is inaugurated from the early hours of sunday people began arriving in the capital from all regions of the country.
For the event today is a historic day for our beloved country colombia because for the first time in 200 years a ruler who was elected by the people for the people takes office.
It is the beginning of democracy in colombia because it is the first time there will be a government of popular origin big expectations which Mr Petro is pledging to live up to it.
As a former senator and mayor of Bogota, he is promising a more inclusive government he wants to address inequality offer free education improve the health care system and to phase out colombia's reliance on fossil fuel extraction to pay for these ambitious measures, he's promising tax reforms but mr petra is also a former left-wing guerrilla leader and as president says he will fully implement a peace deal signed with the farc rebel group in 2016.
A deal that stalled under the administration of outgoing leader ivan it is possible, yes we can we will implement the peace treaty and then we will follow to the letter and recommendations of the report of the truth commission which gives a figure of 800,000 people who died in the violence dead colombian men and women Mr Petro also called for a new international strategy to fight the drug trade saying the war on drugs has failed.
If Mr Petra is to succeed on delivering his big promises he'll have to win over the sizable conservative minority which didn't vote for him and unite the country Sylvia Lennon Spence.