World

Santos elected as new president of Colombia

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-21 08:48

BOGOTA - Juan Manuel Santos, candidate for the ruling Social Party of National Unity, was elected on Sunday new president of Colombia for the term 2010-14.

Colombia's presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos gestures at members of the media before casting his vote during presidential elections in Bogota June 20, 2010. Colombians voted on Sunday in a presidential run-off that former Defense Minister Santos was expected to win after vowing to continue the incumbent president's policies on security and the economy. [Agencies]

Santos, the candidate of the ruling Social Party of National Unity (U) defeated his rival candidate Antanas Mockus from the independent Green Party who won 27.51 percent of the vote counted at the 99.54 percent of polling stations.

Of the 32 departments in the country, Santos won in all but Putumayo, the only one in which Mockus had most votes.

These results are consistent with recent opinion polls, which projected that Santos, the economist and former minister of defense, will achieve a lead of more than 40 percent over his rival.

The first round of presidential elections was held on May 30. Most votes were taken by Santos, with 46.56 percent of the vote, while Mockus got 21.49 percent.

Colombia's presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos casts his vote during presidential elections in Bogota June 20, 2010. [Agencies]