Gotabaya Rajapaksa vs Ivan Duque

As Defense Secretary under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa oversaw the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The war ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE, but was marked by allegations of civilian casualties and human rights abuses.

Rajapaksa won the presidential election with a landslide victory, securing 52.25% of the vote. His campaign focused on national security and economic development, appealing to Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism.

Under Rajapaksa's presidency, Sri Lanka faced its worst economic crisis since independence, with shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The government defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in history, leading to widespread protests.

Following massive protests and the occupation of the presidential palace, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and then Singapore. He resigned as president via email, ending his presidency in disgrace.

Ivan Duque won the Colombian presidential election as the candidate of the Democratic Center party, representing the conservative opposition to the peace process. He defeated leftist candidate Gustavo Petro in a runoff.

Duque proposed legislative changes to the FARC peace agreement, including tougher sentences for former guerrillas and restrictions on their political participation. The proposals faced opposition from the Santos administration and international observers.

Massive nationwide protests erupted against Duque's economic policies, proposed tax reforms, and perceived inaction on violence against social leaders. The protests lasted for weeks and resulted in clashes with police and multiple deaths.

Duque implemented strict lockdowns and a national quarantine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures included economic relief programs but faced criticism for their impact on informal workers and the economy.