Liberal set to take power in Colombia

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33516, 23 April 1974, Page 15

Liberal set to take power in Colombia

LV.Z.P .4. -Reuter —Copyright)

BOGOTA, April 22.

A Liberal Party lawyer, Mr Alfonso Lopez Michelsen, appears certain today to be the next President of the coffee-rich South American republic of Colombia.

His strongest opponent, the Conservative candidate, Mr Alvaro Gomez Hurtado, conceded victon- just after midnight local time, when the unofficial returns from ves-

terday’s General Elections indicated that Mr Lopez could win an overall majority of the popular vote.

The three other candidates. ■ including Mrs Mana Eugenia j Rojas de Moreno, the first ■ woman ever to run for a South American Presidency, j were far oehind the two I main candidates.

Mr Gomez telephoned Mr Lopez, who says that Colom- i bia could become the "Japan ; of South America,” to con-i gratulate him and acknow-[ !°dge his victory. Conserva- i tive Party sources said. There were indications that the voting abstention rate had been high, perhaps as many as 40 per cent of the country’s 9.8 million registered voters.

Returns from 102 polling booths in the capital gave Mr Lopez 7678 votes. Mrs de Moreno. who advocates *‘Colombina-sty!e socialism,”

'picked up 2415 votes and : Mr Hurtado. 1822. As the eighth-hour poll ( . ended, several polling sta-’ Itions in the capital, each of I them scheduled to handle 400 ■ (voters, reported that only! I about 20 had turned up.

The turnout was higher in ’other places, but there appeared to have been little en- : thusiasm anywhere, observers said. j It was Colombia's first open Presidential elections Tor more than 25 years.