Senator Iván Cepeda, a staunch leftist and longtime opponent of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, has been chosen as the 2026 presidential candidate by Colombia’s ruling Historic Pact coalition. The decision follows a low-turnout primary election held Sunday, solidifying the Petro-led bloc’s commitment to continuing its socialist agenda.
Cepeda won with around 65% of the vote, defeating former Health Minister Carolina Corcho. Just 2.37 million Colombians participated in the primary—down sharply from the 5.8 million who voted in the coalition’s 2022 primary, where President Gustavo Petro secured 4.5 million votes.
A self-described “human rights defender,” Cepeda has played a leading role in Colombia’s controversial peace negotiations with Marxist terrorist groups FARC and ELN. Both groups continue to conduct drug trafficking, child recruitment, and attacks across Colombia. FARC members have been tied to the recent assassination of conservative Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay.
Cepeda is widely known for initiating a judicial process against former conservative President Álvaro Uribe, which led to a high-profile legal battle. After years of litigation, Uribe was convicted of fraud and bribery in July. However, a Colombian appeals court overturned the conviction last week, citing judicial bias and due process violations. Cepeda condemned the reversal and vowed to continue pursuing Uribe through legal channels.
While Petro is barred from seeking reelection, Cepeda pledged to continue his policies. “Democracy prevails and must be obeyed,” Petro said following Cepeda’s win. Cepeda echoed the sentiment, calling the Historic Pact “the most powerful political force” in Colombia.
The coalition is now seeking to consolidate into a single unified party. A separate group of leftist parties, the Broad Front, plans a March 2026 primary to select a rival candidate. It remains unclear whether Cepeda will participate, pending a legal ruling on the Historic Pact’s political status.
