Former Colombian Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias said that he remains a dedicated member of the Conservative Party, but failed to comment on whether he would endorse the party’s chosen candidate Noemi Sanin for the presidency, reported Colombian media on Friday.
Arias said in an interview with Caracol Radio that he would not be changing political allegiances, despite recent rumours to the contrary.
“I will not be going to any other party,” he said, “and nobody can say that I called for them to change parties.”
The former minister has made no comment on whether he would be recommending Sanin as the winner of the presidential election to his own supporters.
“I am a conservative to the core and the only thing I’m going to do is ensure that the ideologies of President Uribe are continued,” said the official.
The former minister, who lost to presidential candidate Sanin in the Conservative Party’s primary at the start of the month, stressed the party’s need to change it’s methods in certain ways, saying that it is important that the party win support through “conquering hearts” rather than using “discipline for dogs.”
Rumours that Arias was intending to switch party alliances began when Arias had a meeting with Partido de la U candidate Juan Manuel Santos.