THE ELECTIONS Regional and local elections on October 29 entered their final stretch with the opening of the campaign and the closing of the registration of candidates and lists. Which incidentally brought many surprises because at the last minute names like the ‘wizard’s hat’ sprung up; while others were removed from the contest.
One of the most surprising events was with the candidate of the Historical Pact coalition for the governorship of the Atlantic, Máximo Noriega, who a few minutes after registering was informed that the community sent an email revoking the endorsement to the Registry, the same that he had given her just hours before.
The decision came shortly after it was learned that at 6 in the morning last Saturday, Nicolás Petro, the son of the head of state, and his ex-wife, Day Vázquez, were captured in Barranquilla and brought to the capital of the Republic. by the denunciations of this woman, who said that she learned when they lived together that the young politician allegedly received at least $2,000 million from people of dubious reputation for his father’s presidential campaign in 2022, but that he would have kept for himself with these resources.
Vásquez maintained that Noriega, supposedly, was an intermediary with the people who would have given those resources and that he personally took them to Nicolás Petro.
The community said in a statement that “the political groups that make up the Historical Pact made the decision to refrain from supporting any candidacy for governor in the department of Atlántico.”
While Noriega, who has said that what Day Vásquez affirms when linking him to these facts is not true and that the accusations against Nicolás Petro are also slanderous, he reacted to the decision of the Historical Pact stating that “this is an aggressive and burlesque against me, violating my rights and for that reason we will file the corresponding criminal actions.”
Antioquia: Perez and Bedoya
Barely 72 hours before the registrations will close, former Governor Luis Pérez announced that he would seek a second term, after maintaining the expectation for 5 months regarding this possibility, since he did not rule it out, but he did not confirm it either.
Pérez’s candidacy strongly moves the campaign in the department of Antioquia because he has previously been a winner in several polls. “To those who wonder if I am Petro’s candidate, I tell you that my neck hurts if I look to the extreme left or extreme right. I look straight ahead,” said the candidate, who was endorsed by the ASI, Fuerza de la Paz, Colombia Renaciente, ADA, ED and Gente en Movimiento parties.
Also a few hours before the registrations will close, ex-senator Julián Bedoya surprised everyone, who appeared before the Registry to establish his aspiration endorsed by the Colombian Democratic Party, a group that received legal status for the seat he obtained in the Afro-Colombian constituency in the current Congress.
Bedoya officially requested the endorsement of the Liberal Party last May, despite the fact that his name was not well received in a sector of this community due to the complaint of alleged fraud in obtaining his law degree. Although, nevertheless, last April, the Prosecutor’s Office asked to archive the process because it found no evidence that a crime occurred in this case.
Regardless of this, the Liberal Party endorsed the governorship of former president Eugenio Prieto.
“We have officially registered our candidacy for the Governor of Antioquia, endorsed by the Colombian Democratic Party, which has entrusted us with their flags to work together for Antioquia,” said Bedoya Pulgarín.
Bogota: General (r) Vargas
A name at the last minute was added to the bunch of candidates for mayor of Bogotá, General (r) Jorge Luis Vargas, who served as general director of the National Police.
In the middle of the previous week, it was speculated that Cambio Radical would present a candidate for mayor of Bogotá, however, it was not until last Saturday, at the close of registration, when it was learned that General (r) Vargas was the letter of this community.
The applicant was accompanied in the registration by Senator David Luna and the representative to the Chamber, Carolina Arbeláez, among other members of Cambio Radical.
“I invite you so that Bogotá does not give up. He does not give up because we are going steadily to regain security. I am a General of the Colombian police reserve and I am running today with you to be mayor of Bogotá, to recover the city”, said the candidate to occupy the Liévano Palace.
Cambio Radical pointed out in a statement that “the appointment of General (r) Vargas responds to the need and urgency of the people of Bogotá to have a leader capable of facing the complex security problems that are experienced today, but also to disorder and chaos in the streets and to the lack of a clear course for the capital”.
wong in bolivar
One day before the closing of registrations, Yolanda Wong Baldiris, who was governor in charge in 2018 and has run for the first position in the department, went before the Registry to make her aspiration for the governorship of Bolívar for granted. .
Wong Baldiris was endorsed by the Colombian Democratic Party, the same party that in Antioquia gave last-minute support to Julián Bedoya.
For several months, Wong generated expectation on his social networks about an eventual aspiration to the governorship, however, he delayed the announcement, so many believed that he would not be on the ballot at the polls on October 29.
The question that remains in the air on this occasion, which surely will not have an answer, is whether this last-minute registration made by some was part of a strategy to generate expectations for several months or, on the contrary, because only at the end did they believe that They do have a chance to win in the elections on October 29.