Minority groups in the Uribe government’s coalition are seeking to form a single party, newspaper El Tiempo reported Wednesday.
31 Congressmen and women Convergencia Ciudadana, Apertura
Liberal, Partido Verde Opción Centro, Huila, Nuevo Liberalismo, and some sections of the Alas-Equipo Colombia make up those interested in the venture.
There has been no formal announcement of the group’s intentions but they have met four times in three weeks to discuss the proposal, El Tiempo reported.
“We want to draw the government’s attention to the need to treat all members of the coalition equally,” said Edgar Gomez, Congressman of Convergencia Ciudadana.
The Uribe coalition is currently made up of political party heavyweights Partido de la U, Cambio Radical, Partido Conservador Colombiano and other smaller parties.
According to Gomez, the group hopes to form a new party in time for the 2010 elections.
So far, no other Congressman has spoken publicly about the potential alliance.
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Liberal Congressman Dairo Bustillo clarified that “under no circumstances” would the proposed alliacne be an anti-Uribe move.
Óscar Darío Pérez, a Senator of the Alas-Equipo Colombia party commented that “much has been said” about uniting the small political parties but that “it has not gone further than conversation and analysis”.