The following politicians aspire to to become Colombia’s President in the May 25 election. To help you pick your candidate, here’s the candidates’ biographies, their political proposals and how they are doing in the polls.
Juan Manuel Santos
Running mate
Key issues
- Continue ongoing peace talks with FARC
- Reduce inequality, poverty and unemployment
- Improve education
Executive summary
President Juan Manuel Santos, 62, seeks to be re-elected after a turbulent first term. Having received international recognition for his attempt to negotiate peace with the country’s largest rebel group FARC, the president suffers low approval ratings at home over ongoing crises in the country’s agricultural and health sectors. Santos, supported by the Liberal political elites, is clearly leading the race for the 2014-2018 term.
Polls
Oscar Ivan Zuluaga
Running mate
- Oscar Holmes Trujillo
Key issues
- Renegotiate ongoing peace talks with the FARC
- Improve public security
- Increase regional autonomy
Executive summary
Former Finance Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, 55, is the candidate endorsed by former President Alvaro Uribe, a vocal critic of his successor Santos. In spite of the former businessman’s support of the still-popular Uribe, Zuluaga’s handicaps are his relative obscurity among voters and a pending criminal investigation over allegations he had ties to paramilitary groups belonging to the AUC.
Enrique Peñalosa
Enrique Peñalosa
Green Alliance
Running mate
- Isabel Segovia
Key issues
- Continue ongoing peace talks with FARC
- Improve cities through environmental urban development
- Improve education
Executive summary
Former Bogota Mayor Enrique Peñalosa, 59, is a centrist candidate supported by the Green Alliance, a center-leftist party formed from the Green Party and the Progressives. Peñalosa enjoys general respect for his legacy as mayor, but has divided his political platform for teaming up with former President Alvaro Uribe in the 2011 Bogota mayoral elections.
Polls
Clara Lopez
Clara Lopez
Democratic Pole / Patriotic Union
Running mate
Key issues
- Continue ongoing peace talks with FARC
- Implement Social-Democratic socio-economic policies
- Improve respect for human rights of Colombians
Executive Summary
Clara Lopez, 63, is the candidate of the leftist Democratic Pole (Polo Democratico – PDA) and Patriotic Union (Union Patriotica – UP) parties. The Bogota native is one of the most senior politicians on Colombia’s left. A Harvard Economics graduate, Lopez was the first to ever lead a political party in Colombia. She received praise in Bogota after she replaced Mayor Samuel Moreno (PDA) who had been suspended over corruption.
Polls
Marta Lucia Ramirez
Running mate
- Camilo Gomez
Key issues
- Continue ongoing peace talks with the FARC
- Combat corruption
- Promote traditional family values
Executive summary
Marta Lucia Ramirez, 59, is a senior Conservative Party politician with friendly ties to former President Alvaro Uribe who she served as Defense Minister. However, as a member of the subsequent and current governing coalition of President Santos, the Conservative Party has rejected to jointly present a presidential candidate with its government’s biggest critic while at the same time opposing the president’s re-election bid.