Zuluaga strikes pre-election deal with striking farmers in key rural states

Zuluaga strikes pre-election deal with striking farmers in key rural states
Jun 8, 2014 posted by Adriaan Alsema



One week before Colombia’s presidential election, hard-line candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga struck a deal with striking farmers on Sunday, strengthening his already strong electoral base in rural areas in the center and central southwest of the country.

The deal was signed with regional chapters of the Agricultural Dignity movement in the states of Huila and Cundinamarca where Zuluaga’s rival, incumbent president Juan Manuel Santos faced fierce rural protests over an economic crisis on the countryside.

Subsequently, Zuluaga came out on top in the states where he tried to consolidate his already dominating electoral power. The most prominent Dignidad movement, from the central Boyaca state, apparently refused to express its support for the hard-line candidate in spite of being a stop in the campaign.

In order to receive the endorsement from the farmers, Zuluaga vowed to prioritize rural reforms and agreed to a ten-point action plan that would improve the living conditions of the mostly poor farmers.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/zuluaga-strikes-pre-election-deal-striking-farmers/