Attack on Democracy in Colombia

ATTEMPT TO BLOCK GOVERNING PARTY’S PARTICIPATION IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS

By Guillermo Rico Reyes

_{Photo: elpaís.com}

With only hours remaining before the registration deadline for candidates to the House and Senate in Colombia, the traditional parties of the radical right have managed to block the participation of two candidate lists for the House, with 14 more lists at risk of being blocked before registration closes.

As if that weren’t enough, the National Electoral Council (CNE), the national body known as the electoral authority in Colombia, has determined that the leading candidate for the presidency of the Republic, Iván Cepeda Vargas, cannot participate in the primary to select a single candidate for the democratic left and center-left movements.

In this way, the traditional parties that have always governed Colombia—except in this current period with Gustavo Petro as president—are trying at all costs to prevent the political proposals for change and the reconstruction of a country devastated by the violence and corruption of the parties that have governed it from continuing. They aim to halt the policies of change implemented over the last three and a half years, which have greatly benefited the peasant and working-class people of our country.

The plot against the governing party began several months ago when the National Electoral Council became the biggest persecutor of left-wing organizations. In October 2025, the presidential aspirants for the Historical Pact presented themselves in a popular primary to choose that party’s candidate; the victory was definitive, and the country chose Iván Cepeda Vargas as its candidate.

The next step was to ask the country which candidate from the remaining parties, including Iván Cepeda, would be the definitive candidate for all democratic and left-wing organizations.

This week, as the registration for all candidates closes, the National Electoral Council decided to block Iván Cepeda’s participation, arguing that he had already participated in one primary. However, they fail to consider that this new primary is inter-party, whereas the one last October was for a single party.

Parallel to all this persecution, the lists registered for the House of Representatives have been blocked and nullified. The lists for Valle del Cauca and Bogotá have allegedly already been eliminated, and 14 more regions are under review and at high risk of being nullified. This decision would be made today, precisely on the day registration closes, which would bar them from participating in the electoral contests.

What is the National Electoral Council (CNE)?

The National Electoral Council (CNE) is an autonomous and independent body in Colombia responsible for regulating, inspecting, monitoring, and controlling the electoral activity of political parties and their candidates. It is composed of nine councilors elected by the Congress of the Republic for a four-year term.

The current composition of the CNE is as follows:

– Historical Pact: 2 magistrates

– Liberal Party: 2 magistrates

– Conservative Party: 1 magistrate

– Green Alliance: 1 magistrate

– Party of the U: 1 magistrate

– Democratic Center: 1 magistrate

– Radical Change: 1 magistrate

The election of CNE magistrates is a process intended to ensure representativeness and impartiality in electoral organization. However, the CNE has faced criticism for its alleged politicization and lack of independence.

In recent days, the National Electoral Council (CNE) has nullified or is in the process of nullifying several candidate lists for the House of Representatives from the Historical Pact in different regions of Colombia.

In total, it is estimated that up to 14 lists from the Historical Pact could be revoked in different regions of Colombia, all using the same argument. The ruling is based on the fact that all the lists exceed 15% of the votes in the 2022 elections. However, at that time, the HISTORICAL PACT organization had not been formally established, as its legal status was granted in November 2025.