With less than three weeks left until the Colombian presidential election, centrist candidate Claudia López’s chances of victory are slim no matter how you look at it.
Won the first contest and received solution consulting (Solution consultation) In March, the silver-haired former mayor of Bogotá is crisscrossing the country trying to win over moderate voters.
But recent polls show the 56-year-old’s vote share only in the low single digits.
Wearing her signature vest and sipping coffee, the former Harvard University guest lecturer said in perfect English that she would like to be interviewed in Spanish. “I need to get people to vote for me.” she jokes.
With little to lose, López speaks candidly about his time in office, his views on other politicians and his experiences on the campaign trail.
Watch the full interview here
Reflections on her mayoralty
López, who led Bogotá through the COVID-19 pandemic and mass anti-government protests, speaks proudly of his work as mayor from 2020 to 2024.
The presidential candidate lists off his accomplishments during his time in office, including managing the Covid-19 pandemic, lifting 600,000 women out of poverty and establishing Bogotá’s public bicycle network.
López also speaks candidly about the problems that arose during his tenure as mayor, spanning the administrations of Presidents Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro.
“Interestingly, I found it easier to relate to President Duque, who is on the right, than with the left-wing president I voted for,” López says.
Lopez, who publicly supported Petro’s candidacy, describes the conflict between the central government and the mayor’s office.
“President Petro is a passionate leader, but he is too passionate and very machista-like. I don’t agree with that. If there’s one thing I can’t stand in life, it’s the abuse of power.”
Campaign tracking
Today, the former senator is trying to secure his position in a turbulent election cycle marked by political extremes and polarization.
Her coalition platform is based on three pillars: security and territorial governance. equality and social justice; Regional development without corruption.
López’s move to the center drew some criticism, including from voters who pointed to the former Green Alliance member’s U-turn on key environmental issues such as fracking.
Last year she declared, “If God gave us oil, coal and gas, we would use them.”
“I maintain this position,” López insisted, adding that he opposed the Petro administration’s halt to all oil and gas exploration. “Stopping gas exploration means stopping Colombia’s energy transition. This is a mistake.”
Lopez claims the policy has damaged the economy and reduced investment and development funds.
Instead, she supports a gradual transition. “It is estimated that the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources in Colombia will take about 25 years, no matter how long it takes.”
The candidate believes in preserving biodiversity and has taken a more moderate stance than some of his opponents, saying he would not authorize mineral exploration in the country’s forests or protected areas.
Among his rivals, López is particularly critical of right-wing criminal lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella.
“He is the only candidate I would never vote for. He is a defender of the mafia. He is a shadowy figure,” says López.
De la Espriella was infamous for his links to paramilitary death squads and the head of one of the worst pyramid schemes in Colombian history, as was Alex Saab, seen as the leader of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s corruption scheme.
López claims that although he is a Uribesta (political supporter of right-wing former president Álvaro Uribe), he is “two sides of the same coin” with Uribe’s chosen candidate, Paloma Valencia.
“Paloma is certainly a supporter of Uribe, but she has never been a defender of the mafia,” explains López.
The former mayor did not rule out voting for left-wing candidate Ivan Cepeda, who along with Valenciana de la Espriella are the two frontrunners.
However, Lopez, a lesbian woman, strongly criticizes Valencia’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. Uribe’s Centro Democratico Party candidate opposes adoption by same-sex couples, and her party is blocking a ban on conversion therapy.
She was particularly critical of Juan Daniel Oviedo, a gay politician who agreed to become Valencia’s running mate in March.
“I regret that Juan Daniel Oviedo has been forced to go along with the anti-rights agenda. In fact, I believe he is the only person I have ever heard personally say that he is not considered an equal human being, that he is not considered a citizen with equal rights, and that people do not trust him to raise children,” says López.
Despite his opposition to Valencia, Lopez said he still would not rule out voting for him in the second round, noting that Paloma was unlikely to face De la Espriella in a runoff.
However, the former mayor insisted that he would not support Valencia and Oviedo under any circumstances. “I will not campaign for them, ask for their votes or support anyone.”
Looking to the future
Finally, facing nearly impossible odds in May’s election, Lopez exudes exuberance and optimism about his political future.
“I am very satisfied with the campaign I ran and I am very grateful to the Colombian people,” the candidate said, emphasizing that this was his first bid for the presidency.
“Our movement is a new grassroots movement. We only collected signatures last year, so I am grateful, happy and very excited. I will continue my political activity and continue to work to build social democracy in Colombia.”
This article originally appeared in The Bogotá Post and is republished with permission.
Featured image caption: Claudia Lopez.
Featured image credit: Billy Ramsey.
