Presidential candidates continue to add support. The most recent was Carlos Negret's accession to the campaign of Federico Gutiérrez, a political movement that surprised because it was a token of the New Liberalism that distances itself after the legislative results.
The announcement was made official this Tuesday, in a press conference of the presidential candidate with the former Ombudsman, precisely the experience from which he will contribute to the campaign of the former mayor of Medellín and Team candidate for Colombia.
“Perhaps one of the most prominent people in the defense of human rights in Colombia and also internationally. It is very important for me to receive it because it is a symbol of unity, a symbol of the Colombia that we want to build for all, for the victims,” Gutiérrez said, announcing Negret's support.
His role in the campaign will be to be “human rights coordinator”, in a search for Gutiérrez and his vice-presidential formula Rodrigo Lara Sánchez to approach, as Negret explained, “the political sectors and citizens we find in the defense of human rights, regions, natural resources and democracy, the central agenda of the country”.
Negret said he accepted the invitation to be part of the campaign because he acknowledged the work of the two candidates. “I accept it, because I recognize in them two political leaders with three principles that in my opinion are essential to governing this country: empathy, teamwork and tolerance. I also accept it because of my bpersonal and political commitment to pluralism,” he said.
“The prosperous, just, peaceful and stable future that we dream of for Colombia, we are not going to achieve but is through dialogue among different people; looking for opportunities in differences and promoting mutual understanding as a goal to resolve so many unresolved conflicts,” added Negret.
Although its role in the New Liberalism after this decision is not clear, it does not compromise the party. Both Juan Manuel Galán and Carlos Fernando Galán, the main leaders of the collective, remain committed to supporting Sergio Fajardo in the Centro Esperanza Coalition.
Negret was the second in the closed list of that reborn party to the Senate of the Republic, but they did not even reach the threshold, so they did not win any seats. Only in the House of Representatives was Julia Miranda elected by Bogotá.
Sandra Borda, also the candidate of the New Liberalism to the Senate, said: “This is not the position of @NvLiberalismo, it is the individual position of Carlos Negret. The match continues, stronger than ever, next to @sergio_fajardo”.
Fernando Posada, who was a candidate for the Bogotá Chamber of that collective, also rejected the movement. “Former defender Negret's decision to support another project for the presidency is contradictory to the principles we accept as candidates of the New Liberalism for Congress. We built the Coalition of Hope to support it, not to turn our backs on it. We're still here!” , he argued.
Juan Manuel Galán, after finishing second in the consultation of the Esperanza Center, will lead the regional work of the Fajardo campaign. Mabel Lara will be an advisor to Luis Gilberto Murillo, Borda will participate in the program and Carlos Fernando Galán will seek support in Bogotá.
Negret will have to define his position in the New Liberalism, both by the opposition that the party could take and because of his political future. However, he assured that he feels better accompanying Gutiérrez without mentioning Galán.
“In this campaign I feel more comfortable, I feel that I have known Federico for a long time and in diversity we have to build a new country. The problem in this country is human rights, it is forgotten Colombia, so we are going to work to get Federico and Dr. Lara to become president,” said the former ombudsman.
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