Colombia’s Green Party leaders have banned Antanas Mockus from returning to the party, while he has denied wanting to rejoin, reported local media Monday.
Party co-director Luis Eduardo Garzon declared, “We are no longer happy partners” — while Mockus, a former founding member of the Greens and their 2010 presidential candidate, said any suggestions he wanted to come back were “pure rumor.”
Ex-Bogota mayor Mockus was a founding member of the party and as the party’s presidential candidate in 2010 became current President Juan Manuel Santos‘ closet competitor.
He left the Green Party in 2011 following a disagreement about the acceptance of ex-President Alvaro Uribe‘s endorsement of the party’s Bogota mayoral candidate, Enrique Peñalosa.
Garzon, a former ally of Mockus’ and another ex-Bogota mayor, said, “This party intends to shake off an enormous impairment.”
According to Mockus, “There is no official request to return to the party.” He said the Green Party directors needed to make changes regarding the democratic process within the party, and to attune themselves with young people, who are moving “like a green wave.”
