The first Afro-Colombian mayor of the Caribbean city of Cartagena has stepped down due to his deteriorating health condition caused by lung cancer.
Campo Elías Terán Dix, elected as Mayor in 2011, handed in his resignation due to his battle with lung cancer, which has plagued him since mid-2012.
The Mayor’s resignation came as no surprise to Cartagena residents, as rumours regarding the issue had apparently been circulating for some weeks.
Terán’s lawyer announced, “the illness has returned very aggressively and is now in its final stage. The mayor feels sad for Cartagena and everything that is happening.”
He emphasised that the city of Cartagena would not suffer any adverse effects as a result of Teran’s withdrawal.
“The idea is to step aside so that the situation does not affect the city,” the lawyer said.
However for many Cartagena residents, Teran was seen as a champion of the poor, and his election gave hope to many that in time he would bring change for the more disadvantaged inhabitants of the city. With this announcement however, the people of Cartagena will never know whether Teran would have brought about such a change.
MORE: Cartagena’s poor see hopes fade along with mayor’s health
The mayor’s withdrawal will become official before the Presidency of the Republic in approximately two weeks.
The national government will now have to notifty the Electoral Organization so that they can hold elections to install a new mayor.