As August 7 approaches, Colombian politics appears to have narrowed down to what happens at both ends of the political spectrum. On the one hand, Abelardo de la Espriella prepares for its possession, while his Tensions with the outgoing president and the Democratic Center do not seem to give truce. On the other hand, President Petro seems increasingly impulsive and irascible, and prepares to lead a volatile and explosive oppositionbefore the astonishing disappearance of former candidate Iván Cepeda. In the midst of this situation, 45 percent of Colombians, who according to surveys consider themselves centrist, seem to have been left seeing a spark.
What are the ways to escape this polarization? Where are the candidates who until recently populated that segment of the political spectrum? Sergio Fajardo, the centrist candidate who obtained the most votes in the first round, has decided to return to the ring sooner than many thought. Comment below about what he is seeing in the country before the new government starts, evaluates his decision not to be a candidate again and explains his party’s plans for the local elections in October 2027.
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It’s been eight weeks since he got one million votes in the first round. What has happened since then and why had he remained silent?
It was the most difficult campaign of my life, due to the confrontation and polarization that exists in Colombia. Getting those million votes was something very special: we had all the circumstances against us and despite them we passed the 4 percent threshold.
It has been a very hectic few weeks, with many things happening in the country. I listened very carefully to the speeches of July 20, those of President Petro and those of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella. I don’t like the climate of tension I’m seeing. It is time to return to the political arena, because the road ahead is long and very complex.
Do you maintain your decision not to be a candidate again?
I am not going to be a presidential candidate again. I have already been three and a half more times when I was a candidate for Vice President with Antanas Mockus. Enough is enough; Other people have to appear. Being a candidate is very hard. We have built a civic movement for 26 and a half years and we have fought for ideas and proposals. The personal and family demands have been very great.
If you are not going to be a candidate again, what does it mean to return to the political arena?
Not being a candidate does not mean that I withdraw. I started at 43 years old. We built a civic movement with the inspiration of Antanas Mockus, who showed us that a different policy could be made. I continue to believe that politics is the space to transform our society. I believe in a different policy, I love this country and that is why I continue.
Sergio Fajardo was a presidential candidate in 2026. Photo:THE TIME
What are you going to do, specifically?
I belong to a party called Dignity and Commitment. Dignidad was the party led by Jorge Robledo and Compromiso Ciudadano is the movement that I have led since we started. We get together in 2023 to build a party and have an organizational structure.
In that party, which is still small in the political sense, I want to give back everything I have learned and everything we have built. I want to make that party a space for new people to participate, to help build proposals, to make a different policy, and to be a mentor within that process of political transformation of Colombia.
The million votes he received in the first round came because he was Fajardo and not because of the structure of Dignity and Commitment… How to make the transition from supporting a person to structuring an organized party?
It’s quite a challenge. These civic movements are associated with the figure of a person, in this case mine, in another case that of Antanas Mockus or others who have had a role. Going from a movement where the relationship is given by affinity with ideas, behavior and an example, to turning it into an organized structure, is complex.
I have to play a role: I am still a teacher, convene and exercise leadership. For example, we must prepare to participate in the local elections in 2027. That is a personal responsibility that I have with the party. There’s Jennifer Pedraza. We have to do it and this is the right moment for Colombia.
Our task is to show the country that we are not trapped in that confrontation between what Abelardo De La Espriella and Gustavo Petro mean.
sergio fajardoFormer presidential candidate
How is the movement going to divest itself of the ‘Fajardo’ brand?
It is not mandatory to get rid of the Fajardo brand. I am going to be there participating, but my job will be to open the party, interpret what is happening in society and have the doors open so that many people can say: “I want to participate in politics.” I want to convert the experiences I have had in these years into tools for political participation.
Let’s talk about who your teammates can be. Do the positions of the new senator Jennifer Pedraza in Congress reflect a position of Fajardo?
It is not necessary for Fajardo and Jennifer to think the same. Jennifer is a figure in Colombian politics: intelligent, capable, brave and with convictions. There are things I disagree with, but that’s not a problem. We share principles, a way of understanding politics and responsibility towards the public.
The challenge is to open the door so that the party is not only Jorge Enrique Robledo, one of the best senators the country has had in years, Jennifer and Fajardo.
Jennifer Pedraza and Sergio Fajardo. Photo:Sergio Fajardo Press.
What kind of people do you want to invite?
The elections for mayors and governors are coming in 2027. That is an opportunity to open the doors, make a policy related to the regional context, prepare proposals and point out ideas on how to do it.
I dream of presenting to the country next year about 40 people who are candidates, so that Colombia can see how they think and how they work. Many may be new; others who have participated and want to continue fighting. That task requires work, discipline and seriousness, but we can do it.
What are the three fundamental principles of this new stage of Dignity and Commitment?
There are three fundamental problems of Colombian society, which remain the same since the first day we started doing politics in Medellín. First, the deep social inequalities and poverty. Second, violence and insecurity. Third, corruption and a culture of illegality.
In the field of inequality we must recognize differences between people and territories. The necessary social reforms have to do with generating living conditions so that people have a dignified life. It is also necessary to close the large development gaps that exist between regions.
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In terms of security we are in a critical condition. Violence and crime have evolved: it is no longer simply drug trafficking, but extortion, human trafficking, illegal mining and many other activities. There are nearly 600 municipalities with the presence of this illegality. We must strengthen public forces, incorporate intelligence and pursue illegal money.
Corruption is directly associated with the way of doing politics. I have always said: the way you come to power, the way you govern. We must fight against corruption, the gateway to a widespread culture of illegality, which is mixed with insecurity, crime and inequalities. I do not believe I am morally superior, but we have ethical conditions to do politics.
These topics are very similar to his campaign speech. What are you going to do again so that it doesn’t seem like you’re still in the campaign?
It couldn’t be any other way: I believe in those issues and one fights for one’s convictions. We are not prisoners of an ideology that tells us what to do; We have the capacity to construct and understand contexts. The challenge of 2027 is to present ideas for cities and departments, and get our candidates to get closer to the communities and build proposals with people who know and have worked.
We are still in the midst of the campaign. July 20 left me worried about the confrontation of the speeches. They are harmful positions, which do not allow progress in strategic projects to attack inequalities, violence and the culture of illegality.
Our task is to show the country that we are not trapped in that confrontation between what Abelardo de la Espriella and Gustavo Petro mean.
What is your greatest hope and your greatest fear regarding the incoming government of Abelardo de la Espriella?
I have serious reservations. I clashed with him during the campaign. I have never deleted a tweet or a video: I said what I said and I have all the reservations in the world. But I want to be a serene, responsible and decent voice, even if being decent is not viral. That’s why I say we’re going to wait. With all the precautions and after having said that I never wanted him to be president, we are going to give him a wait and see how he does.
From what you have shown, I like the spirit of working with the regions, but converting announcements into actions is very difficult. Projects, resources and needs of departments and municipalities must be reviewed. I have seen the cabinet and there is a person who seems very good to me: the Minister of Mines and Energy. I don’t know her, but I know she knows about energy. I hope he does very well. Anyway, I have many reservations, but as a political leader you have to be respectful and take a moment to wait.
Abelardo De La Espriella in Montería. Photo:Montería Mayor’s Office
What is your greatest hope and your greatest fear in the face of the opposition of the Historical Pact? Are you thinking about Petro or Cepeda?
Cepeda already gave Petro the address. I put the personal issue aside: I think Cepeda is a good person, but he never thought of being a presidential candidate. That was a political accident. He got caught up in something he never prepared for and wasn’t ready for.
Behind all this is Petro, as we heard on July 20: it is chaotic. He has a tremendous capacity to create confrontation and say that the rich, the media, Congress, judges or ministers will not let him. But it has a total inability to build, transform and generate trust. That chaotic Petro will be the one we will see starting August 7 leading the opposition.
I hope I’m wrong. Hopefully we can give reason to the political discussion. That’s why we have to be there: to show that, outside of that confrontation and division, there are many people who do not see themselves reflected and need a political expression that shows that Colombia is much more than just the two of them.
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Until six months ago it would have been unthinkable to talk about political perspectives without mentioning Álvaro Uribe. Is it no longer necessary to do so or do you have any comments regarding your current role?
Uribe was an inspiration for De la Espriella, the most notable person, but that is no longer the case. What we see is a confrontation that will continue because there are many wounds and a lot of anger behind it.
We have to tell many people in Colombia: let’s get out of that, there are other alternatives. That is our political challenge and we are going to do it.
I have another challenge for you: act as an editor. What title would you give to this new stage of your political career?
I don’t like the word center, because it is a concept that is usually defined by negation: it is neither left nor right. But let’s accept that that’s what it’s called. Those of us who can speak differently are necessary; who, when we oppose, do so with rigor, seriousness and decency; those of us who demand good sense, empathy and the ability to build. We are very necessary for Colombia, we are urgent for Colombia.
The challenge is to bring together more people and convert all that knowledge into policy to reach the people. Today the center is more necessary than ever.
MAURICIO QUEEN
Special for EL TIEMPO
