Construction businessman Rodolfo Hernandez surprised many Colombians Sunday when he moved on to the runoff in the presidential election thanks to a populist anti-corruption message spread through social media that followed in the footsteps of the Donald Trump campaign in 2016.
Now the businessman, known in Colombia as the Tik Tok King, is ahead in the polls with an eight-point lead, with 52% of those contacted saying they will vote for him in the runoff to be held on June 19, and 44% stating that they will support former guerrilla member Gustavo Petro, according to a survey by La FM radio station.
The rapid rise of the 77-year-old businessman shows that short videos on social media can have a greater impact than long speeches and forceful arguments during debates.
