Colombia sees surge in political violence ahead of...
Colombia’s elections shrouded by distrust in government
Colombia’s opposition embarrassed after Honduras finds $68K on...
“Colombia’s most wanted FARC dissident killed in Venezuela”
Colombia’s election campaigns come to an end amid...
Francia Marquez
Colombia investigating attacks against media and journalists
Why State mafia allies threaten Colombia’s democracy
Colombia’s establishment candidate disappoints in election polls
Colombia’s far-right trying to postpone presidential elections
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
Elections

Colombia’s Liberal Party splits over support for establishment candidate

Liberal dissidents express support for progressive frontrunner

by Adriaan Alsema April 29, 2022

Colombia’s powerful Liberal Party split on Wednesday after its leader decided to endorse the establishment candidate in the presidential elections.

Former President Cesar Gaviria, the long-time boss of the Liberal Party, announced his support for former Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez on Wednesday.

After analyzing and assuming the programmatic agenda of the Liberal Party, Federico Gutierrez is our presidential candidate.

Former President Cesar Gaviria

A group of 15 of the party’s 49 congressmen rejected Gaviria’s decision and said that they will be supporting opposition candidate Gustavo Petro, who is leading in the polls.

The dissident liberals said that they would be announcing more support for the progressive candidate from the party’s regional and local representatives in the coming days.

According to House Representative Juan Carlos Losada, the decision to support Gutierrez, the runner up in the race, “is not a decision by the Liberal Party,” but one taking by “Gaviria and his congressional buddies.”

According to Senator Luis Fernando Velasco, the Liberal Party boss will end up a government that “offered to rip peace to shreds.”

Gaviria totally lost his capacity for audacity. He is leading the party to an ideological line that is not liberal and ends up backing a government that offered to tear peace to shreds.

Senator Luis Fernando Velasco

The former president had also been talking to Petro, but ended these talks after the opposition candidate’s running mate, Francia Marquez, said that the Liberal Party leader would be “more of the same.”

Gaviria considered this an “insult.”

Ironically, the Liberal Party will be forming an electoral coalition with exactly the same parties as President Ivan Duque’s congressional coalition.

Gutierrez’ electoral coalition

  • Liberal Party
  • Democratic Center
  • Conservative Party
  • U Party
  • Radical Change

Whether the endorsement of Gaviria will do Gutierrez any good is all but certain.

Duque’s approval rating is on the floor and the president’s coalition partners received an beating in the Congressional elections in March.

Gutierrez’s popularity is unlikely to improve ahead of the May 29 vote by teaming up with political forces that are widely perceived as corrupt.


The shady forces behind the campaign of Colombia’s establishment candidate


 

2022 electionsFederico GutierrezGustavo PetroLiberal Party

Trending

  • Colombia’s far-right trying to postpone presidential elections

  • Establishment candidate in Colombia’s elections linked to mafia

  • Colombia’s establishment candidate disappoints in election polls

Related articles

  • Colombia sees surge in political violence ahead of elections

  • Colombia’s elections shrouded by distrust in government

  • Colombia’s election campaigns come to an end amid extreme tensions

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top