Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Monday the word re-election should “not be mentioned” this year.
At the end of a security council meeting in Florencia, in the south-western department of Caqueta, Santos said he was aware of many people trying to speak and speculate about Colombia’s 2014 presidential election, and whether he would seek a second term.
In a statement also published on the presidential website, the head of state said, ”I propose that from the first of January throughout 2012 we should try not to mention the word. It is an issue that we should not start to discuss until the middle or end of next year.”
According to El Tiempo newspaper, Santos’ decision to put a lid on the subject is a wise move. A statement confirming he was standing for re-election, or had decided to stand down, would trigger movements within his coalition U Party, whereas keeping silent left him in a stronger position.
It also left him time to see who his competition might be, should he choose to stand.
Finally, it gave him time to work on achieving his government’s stated primary objectives, such as land restitution to Colombia’s millions of displaced people.