国际英语新闻:Duque, Petro to contest presidency of Colombia in runoff

BOGOTA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Ivan Duque, right-wing candidate for the Democratic Center Party, won the first round of the Colombian presidential election on Sunday, claiming 39.13 percent of the vote with 99.77 percent of votes tallied.

He was short of the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a second-round runoff and will face runner-up Gustavo Petro, of the left-wing, who finished with 25.09 percent of the vote.

The second round will take place on June 17.

All reports indicated that the day went peacefully, with no signs of the armed violence that has marred previous Colombian elections.

This was the first election to take place after Colombian government signed a historic deal with the FARC guerrilla group, ending over 50 years of armed conflict.

Duque, a protege of former president Alvaro Uribe who opposed the peace deal, struck a note of consensus as he went to vote, telling the press that "I feel very honored to come to these elections as a representative of a new generation of Colombians."

Both candidates are likely to make overtures to the supporters of third-place Sergio Fajardo and Humberto de la Calle, the chief negotiator for the government with the FARC, who finished fifth.

The vote was split across the country with Duque winning the key cities of Medellin and Bucaramanga and Petro triumphing in Barranquilla and Cartagena.