Colombia president-elect firms up congressional allies; handover begins

Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro speaks after receiving the credential as elected president from Colombia's National Electoral Council, in Bogota, Colombia June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President-elect Gustavo Petro on Thursday began to firm up party alliances that could give him a congressional majority and met with the country's current president to start the handover process.

Petro, a 62-year-old former guerrilla and mayor of Bogota, won the presidency on Sunday on promises to tackle deep inequality with pension redistributions, free university education and other social programs.