Congratulations from Antony John Blinken

The Washington administration is ready to cooperate with Colombian President-elect Gustavo Francisco Petro. This was said in a statement by US Secretary of State Antony John Blinken, released on Sunday.

The US foreign policy chief congratulated the people of Colombia for a "free and fair" election.

"We are ready to work with President-elect Gustavo Francisco Petro to further strengthen US-Colombian relations and move our countries towards a better future," Antony added.

Gustavo Petro, who in his youth was a member of the left-wing M-19 organisation which led an armed struggle against the government, will be the first left-wing president of Colombia.

With 99.99% of the ballots cast, he will get 50.44% of the votes. His rival Rodolfo Hernandez Suarez, representing his own political movement, the League of Anti-Corruption Rulers, which has not entered into an alliance with other parties, was supported by 47.31% of voters. Hernandez has already conceded defeat in the election.

Presidents Nicolas Maduro and Luis Arce of Venezuela and Bolivia have also congratulated Petro.

The leaders of Argentina and Mexico, Alberto Fernandez and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, had already done so earlier.