Pacto Histórico Abandons October Consultation for Presidential Candidate
The Pacto Histórico, the coalition supporting the government of Gustavo Petro, has announced it will no longer hold the planned consultation on October 26th to select its presidential candidate. Instead, the coalition will use internal mechanisms decided by the Comité Político. This decision comes in response, partly, to resolutions from the Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE) that were preventing the full participation of allied movements such as Colombia Humana and Progresistas.
Reasons for the Decision
According to a statement from Pacto Histórico, "given the legal circumstances that prevent holding consultations as a unified movement," they will opt to define a democratic mechanism later to ensure "a single candidacy" for the Presidency in the 2026 elections. Initially, the internal consultation was meant to choose both a presidential candidate and the lists for the Senate and House of Representatives.
The decision to abandon the October consultation also follows a ruling from the Tribunal Superior de Bogotá that partially suspended a CNE resolution that had excluded three movements. The coalition argued this was "an attempt to exclude it from the contest".
New Electoral Strategy
The Pacto Histórico will now prioritize the inter-party consultation of the Frente Amplio in March to arrive at the first round of the presidential election on May 31, 2026, with a single candidate. "Regarding the selection of the presidential pre-candidacy… we have resolved to prioritize said consultation as the definitive space that ensures the election of the winning option for the presidential elections in May," the statement added. The October consultation will still be held to determine lists for the Senate and House of Representatives.
Potential Candidates
Potential candidates from the Pacto Histórico include senators María José Pizarro, Gloria Flórez, and Iván Cepeda; former ministers Gloria Inés Ramírez, Susana Muhamad, and Carolina Corcho; social leader Alí Bantú Ashanti; former director of the Departamento de Prosperidad Social, Gustavo Bolívar; former mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero; and former head of the Presidential Office, Alfredo Saade.
Petro's Reaction
President Petro celebrated the Tribunal Superior's decision and accused the opposition of trying to prevent his coalition's participation. He stated that while the opposition accused him of seeking re-election or orchestrating fraud, they were allegedly working to prevent the Pacto Histórico from participating in the elections.
Coalition Composition
The Pacto Histórico, founded in 2021 by Gustavo Petro, includes movements such as Colombia Humana (Petro's party), the Unión Patriótica, the Polo Democrático Alternativo, the Partido Comunista, Progresistas, and the Minga Indígena Política y Social, among others.
