Colombia’s first leftist president says war on drugs has failed

At his swearing in Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla, says the country is getting a second chance' to tackle violence and poverty

Colombia's first leftist president has been sworn into office, promising to fight inequality and bring peace to a country long haunted by bloody feuds between the government, drug traffickers and rebel groups.

Gustavo Petro, a former member of Colombia's M-19 guerrilla group, won the presidential election in June by beating conservative parties that offered moderate changes to the market-friendly economy, but failed to connect with voters frustrated by rising poverty and violence against human rights leaders and environmental groups in rural areas.