Sergio Fajardo continues to seek the support of various political sectors that will allow him to come back in the race for the presidency of the Republic. According to the latest poll conducted by the National Consultancy Center for Semana, the candidate of the Esperanza Center Coalition has not yet been able to take off in the intention to vote, since it appears fourth with 8.4%.
Under this scenario, Fajardo received the support of the New Liberalism this Monday, led by the former presidential pre-candidate, Juan Manuel Galán, and the roles that the community will have in the campaign were defined. In addition to journalist Mabel Lara, who aspired to the Senate, the former mayor of Medellín indicated the role of other members.
In the case of Carlos Fernando Galán, he will lead the campaign strategy in Bogotá along with some former candidates for the House of Representatives: “They know perfectly well where we need to go,” Fajardo explained. He also pointed out that the former Senate candidate, Sandra Borda, will serve as support for the design of the anti-drug policy and political reform.
At the close of the meeting, Fajardo stated that he has open doors to work with different sectors of society, emphasizing “ideas, principles and the way of doing politics” in the country. For this reason, his invitation extended to liberals, but far from those who encourage patronage and corruption, one of the axes on which his campaign has revolved.
“I have no problem with liberal ideas. A confrontation figure was created with César Gaviria [director of the Liberal Party] which means that people like Juan Manuel Galán are here, because he left the party. Let's not confuse the party, which is a structure that has not lived up to the country, with liberal people who want to contribute.”
“There are many people of liberal ideas, of liberal spirit who are with us. Let's rest one day from talking about César Gaviria. The liberal people summon it, we respect it and many ideas we have are liberal ideas for Colombia,” Fajardo added during his speech.
One of the aspects that has been criticized from public opinion has been the separation of the presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, from the Centro Esperanza ad portas Coalition from holding legislative elections and inter-party consultations on 13 March. However, it caused more annoyance in other political sectors that the latter agreed to meet with former President Álvaro Uribe.
Fajardo also spoke about this meeting, which he does not share: “You cannot join this moment with those that mean the continuity of a development model that has run out, and that does not have the proposals that the country needs. That kind of meeting doesn't make any sense to us in political terms. We don't do it. She can meet with whomever she wants and everyone is talking about her,” the presidential candidate said.
It should be recalled that Humberto de la Calle and Daniel Carvalho, the only congressmen elected with the endorsement of the Ingrid (Oxygen Green) party, expressed their disagreement days ago because of their approaches to Uribism. In this regard, Betancourt defended himself by arguing that “talking does not mean alliing” with former President Uribe.
“It's time to stop hatred and polarization. Tolerance, listening and dialogue are the ways to reconcile ourselves. Former President Uribe invites me to speak; I will do so with the gratitude I have him for the operation Jaque that allowed me to be released and that of 14 more abductees,” said the presidential candidate recently.
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