Recently reelected President and U Party candidate Juan Manuel Santos thanked his support base, highlighting family members, other politicians and specific communities after defeating the Democratic Center candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.
Plenty of thanks were given as Santos gave a post-election speech highlighting his 5.95% margin of victory over Democratic Center candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga and his gratitude towards his supporters, after a hotly contested campaign.
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In a nod to his campaign slogan, “We’ve done a lot, there’s still a lot to do,” Santos recognized what still needs to be done stating, “We arrived [to the recent victory] with a lot of accomplishments, but also deficiencies that we need to correct.”
He emphasized the on-going peace process with the country’s largest guerrilla groups the FARC and ELN stating, “the peace [with the FARC and ELN] will not be mine or of this government, but of all Colombians. This is a peace for everybody.”
With gratitude, Santos thanked his family, especially his wife, children and parents for their support, in addition to his running mate German Vargas Lleras, in addition to his family.
In tune with the graceful declarations of defeated opponent Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, Santos appreciated Zuluaga’s concession stating, “I congratulate and salute Oscar Ivan Zuluaga for his [percentage of] the vote, and his gallantry in recognizing our victory.”
Ex-president Cesar Gaviria (1990-1994), Santos’ debate chief, was thanked for his leadership, experience and know-how.
Thanking former opponents, he specifically pointed out his Green Party opponent in the 2010 elections Antanas Mockus, thanking him for his wisdom and support, as well as Clara Lopez, his first-round challenger with the Alternative Democratic Pole.
He thanked Lopez and her running mate Aida Avella for their support by stating that she ran an excellent campaign and for their “courage in supporting peace.”
Specific communities were also given a special acknowledgement, including the disabled and the LGBTI communities.
At the end of his speech, he stated that in “four years, nobody will have regretted voting for me.”
Santos won the 2014 Presidential elections with 50.95%, defeating his opponent Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, who received 45%.
