This is the sector of the Green Party that formalized its support for Gustavo Petro's candidacy

For two years in the anticipated presidential campaign, the Green Alliance party was divided among those who decided to support Sergio Fajardo again, as in 2018, or to ally with Gustavo Petro. Without reaching a unity agreement and in the face of the failure of their own candidacy, those who support the candidate of the Historical Pact made its annexation to that political alliance official in Bogotá a little more than a month after the election.

“Greens with Petro” is the name of that sector of the party that will not support the Esperanza Center Coalition but the Historical Pact and Petro's formula with Francia Márquez. This group is led by the former governor of Nariño, Camilo Romero, who participated in the internal consultation on March 13.

Carlos Ramón González, co-president of the Alianza Verde party, was the one who represented the militants who wanted to support Petro in the leadership, in order to finally establish freedom of choice. “What is clear is that we must defeat the Uribista right that today embodies the candidate Federico Gutiérrez,” said the director of the collective.

Among the green supports, Petro has several current senators, but who failed to renew their seats for the next four-year period such as Jorge Guevara, Jorge Eduardo Londoño, Sandra Ortiz or León Fredy Muñoz. The only one so far is Inti Asprilla, fourth most voted, who from the start supported Petro. They are joined by elected representatives Santiago Marín (from Caldas) and Martha Alfonso (in Tolima).

Several councillors, councilors and deputies participated as Diego Cancino (Bogotá councillor), Oswaldo Avellaneda (deputy for Meta), Michael Ramos (deputy for Meta), Alejandro Saldarriaga (Antioquia), Oswaldo Córdoba (Bolivar), Esmeralda Hernandez, Mafe Carrascal, María Isabel Moreno (councillor of Cali), among other councilors, councilors and deputies of the country and former candidates for Congress.

“We want to confirm that we are on the right side of history, with Gustavo Petro as president, with Francia Márquez in the vice-presidency and the entire Green Party. From the campaign Petro President, we hope, that it has been the candidate's deep conviction, breadth, generosity; that in the regions the collectives of the historical pact will be expanded, that we move towards a great front with other parties, collectives, social movements,” said former candidate Romero.

“We have to break down the myths, we have to break down the barriers, we have to reach all of Colombian society, we have to reach the housewife, the worker, who has been instilled with fear to tell her that this is really the possibility of change in this country, which is not with them and with them,” added the former governor.

Co-President González assured that in the Green Alliance party there is a great agreement that, if there is a second round, they will support Petro. That scenario would be fulfilled if a candidate did not win in the first and if Sergio Fajardo did not pass, who would maintain the support of the Coalition's grassroots.

Petro, for his part, welcomed the support of the Greens for his campaign and assured that he hopes that most of the party will be annexed to his campaign in a major national pact. “The Historical Pact has done a great job, but it will have to take a step further. On the day of my registration, I presented a few words that sought to convene all political, social forces, citizens in general that would achieve the desire to make peace a reality in Colombia, could be the foundation that would allow a great convergence beyond the Historical Pact, of national majorities to build the national government that was looming. We've already had answers. Fuerza Ciudadana decided to enter this idea of the great convergence for peace. Now you, most of the Green and, hopefully later, the entire Green Party will decide to enter into this convergence to build collectively,” he said.

Petro assured that he is confident that in a possible government of his own, if he wins the elections, it would have sufficient parliamentary governance. In its accounts, the Covenant seats, the Centro Esperanza Coalition and other related forces will allow it to have a collective force in Congress, given the breadth of the number of seats in the House following the scrutiny to be announced on April 5.

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