Colombia has witnessed a significant turn in the local elections that were held this Sunday, October 29. The opposition to President Gustavo Petro managed to exceed all expectations with a punishing vote that left its candidates relegated in the most important cities in favor of the right. Bogotá, the capital and one of its strongholds, was left in the hands of Carlos Fernando Galán (center-right), who with 49% of the votes had no rival and won in the first round.
These local elections, in which governors, mayors and other regional officials were elected, were considered of great relevance, since the opponents of Gustavo Petro, the country’s first left-wing president, saw in them the opportunity to stop the advance of the proposals. and projects of the president, whose term barely exceeds a year.
I congratulate the Colombian people for their democratic disposition.
I hope that citizens act prudently in the face of the results. If there are irregularities, wait for government delegations and act in accordance with the mechanisms of the law.
The opposition with its influence in the State…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 29, 2023
One of the most significant blows for the political movement led by Petro was its defeat in Bogotá, until now considered the president’s bastion. Gustavo Bolívar, Petro’s candidate in the country’s capital, did not even manage to reach second position, remaining in third. It was the centrist leader Carlos Fernando Galán who won with more than 20 points ahead of his competitors, completely erasing the option of a runoff.
If the winner of the capital managed to exceed 40% of the votes and obtained an advantage of more than ten points over the second, which in this case was the center-right candidate Juan Daniel Oviedo, a second round would not be necessary. Galán, of the New Liberalism and son of the renowned politician Luis Carlos Galán, murdered in 1989 during an electoral rally, has become the elected mayor of the Colombian capital by obtaining 49% of the votes.
Great Bogota!
If they wanted a plebiscite, they have it loud and clear!
Congratulations to the new Mayor @Bogota Carlos Fernando Galan @CarlosFGalan!
Congratulations to the revelation of the Bogota politician Juan Daniel Oviedo @JDOviedoA!
Bogotá is Respected!
The Metro has no reverse! pic.twitter.com/VkNJTCklHt— Claudia López Hernández (@ClaudiaLopez) October 29, 2023
Medellín, Colombia’s second largest city, also saw a notable right-wing victory. Federico Gutiérrez, former presidential candidate and supported by former President Álvaro Uribe, obtained more than 73% of the votes, while Petro’s candidate, Juan Carlos Upegui, came in second place with 10% of the votes.
The results in other important cities such as Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena followed the same trend. In Cali, the third largest city in the country, Álvaro Eder, a businessman, won the victory by obtaining 41% of the votes, while Denis Rentería, representative of the Petro political movement, came in third place with 11% of the votes. In Cartagena, Dumek Turbay, also from the New Liberalism party, defeated Petro’s candidate, Javier Bejarano, with a lead of more than 27 points.
Barranquilla also remained in the hands of the right, with Alejandro Char, a well-known anti-Petrista politician, who obtained 73% of the votes, while second place barely reached 9%.
Senator María Fernanda Cabal, one of the fiercest voices against Petro in Colombia, summed up the feeling of many opponents.
The implosion of the Covenant is the resurrection of our country.
Today Colombia is growing, it is the defeat of violence, anarchy and ineptitude.#Faith in the cause #GodAndCountry 🇨🇴
— María Fernanda Cabal (@MariaFdaCabal) October 29, 2023
Carlos Fernando Galán, elected mayor of Bogotá
The youngest son of iconic leader Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento, who was murdered by the mafia in 1989, received overwhelming support from Bogotá voters. Galán obtained 48.96% of the votes, far surpassing his competitors.
A setback for the Historical Pact, President Petro’s political movement, since Bogotá was considered one of his strongest electoral strongholds. Galán confirmed his favoritism, even surpassing poll forecasts.
Galán’s campaign focused on security, an issue of constant concern for the residents of Bogotá. His focus on this issue resonated with voters and strengthened his position as a candidate capable of addressing the city’s most pressing challenges.
Carlos Fernando Galán’s victory is especially notable given his previous attempts to become Mayor of Bogotá. In 2011, he placed fourth in the elections, and, in 2019, as an independent candidate, he placed second, behind the current mayor, Claudia López. However, on this occasion, Galán was successful representing New Liberalism, founded by his father.
Galán’s election not only marks a milestone in his political career, it also continues a family tradition that dates back to Luis Carlos Galán. This prominent political leader was noted for his courageous denunciation of the infiltration and growing power of drug trafficking mafias in society and politics in the 1980s. Luis Carlos Galán was shot dead on August 18, 1989 during a rally in Soacha, a municipality near Bogotá.
Carlos Fernando Galán has played an active role in Colombian politics in recent years. He has been a councilor of the capital, secretary of Transparency appointed by President Juan Manuel Santos in 2012 and senator from 2014 to 2018.
The Colombian Caribbean Coast, in the hands of an influential political family
Colombia’s Caribbean Coast has been at the center of national attention since it catapulted Gustavo Petro to the Presidency in 2022. Much of the support he received in the second round more than a year ago came from the Caribbean coast, where his support It grew an impressive 40% in Barranquilla between the first and second rounds.
The region has long struggled against abandonment and inequality. Barranquilla, its largest city and known as the “Golden Gate” of the country, has undergone a notable transformation in recent years. Under the leadership of Alejandro ‘Alex’ Char and his successors as mayors of the city since 2008, poverty has been reduced by 23% in the last decade.
In addition, key infrastructure projects have been carried out, such as the canalization of 67 kilometers of streams that used to threaten the city with flooding, the paving of roads, the modernization of 43 health care facilities and the construction of a pier in the shore of the Magdalena River, equipped with parks, a shopping center and a convention center.
Barranquilla knows how to choose and when to do it. Long live Barranquilla and long live the Atlantic!
We did not expect such an overwhelming result; Our hearts were beating very fast. Thank you for your effort and love.
Tell Colombia, Atlántico and Barranquilla that Colombia… pic.twitter.com/rA9MqCIX31
— Alejandro Char (@AlejandroChar) October 30, 2023
Despite the success and political influence of the Char, their prominence has not been without controversy.
A recent book by journalist Laura Ardila presents evidence of irregularities under her leadership. Additionally, Arturo Char, Alejandro Char’s brother, was arrested last month on charges of buying votes, although he has strenuously denied these accusations. According to Colombian media reports, Alejandro Char would have maintained a romantic relationship with a central figure in the vote-buying case, which has generated speculation about a possible involvement in the case; he has also denied these accusations.
Arturo Char’s arrest in September did not affect Alejandro Char’s prospects in the polls, which have remained stable since then. The attorney general’s office has moved more slowly in the case than the Supreme Court, which investigated his brother because of his former position as a senator. This has led to criticism of an alleged delay by the Attorney General’s Office in the process, although this situation could change in February, when the institution assumes an appointment from Petro.
The Char’s political influence, mostly aligned with the right, has increasingly spread nationally in recent years, with close connections to former President Juan Manuel Santos’ chosen vice president, Germán Vargas Lleras. They have also influenced the election of ministers in two previous administrations and have supported seven senators in the current Congress.
Challenges for Colombia
Despite Petro’s efforts to advance peace and security through its ‘Total Peace’ policy, Colombia continues to face significant challenges on this front.
Violence by illegal armed groups has undermined the Government’s efforts to advance peace and political reforms. Although progress has been made in dialogues with the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a temporary ceasefire with some dissidents of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the president’s bet still has work to do.
The regional and local elections have made it clear that Petro will need to make use of political dialogue to implement its policies in the regions, which have taken a new turn towards traditional politics and, above all, towards the opposition. Several of its flagship programs, such as fighting corruption and advancing peace, will take time to materialize at the local level. Dissatisfaction and skepticism regarding the president’s policies have been evident and the coming years will be decisive in consolidating – or not – his legacy.
With EFE and local media
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