‘We cannot allow a walk to the past,’ says Colombia’s pre-candidate

Colombia has more than 30 candidates for the 2026 presidential elections, including directo Miguel Uribe Turbay, who suffered a shot attack on June 7 and is hospitalized in serious condition at the hospital. One of those that is best positioned in the research is Sergio Fajardo, from Centro, who played the 2022 presidential.

“The attack on Miguel made everything harder, because this campaign was marked by this episode,” Fajardo said in an interview with Bogota’s Globo.

The pre-candidate attack Miguel Uribe Turbay surprised the Colombians and the world. It seems a return to the 1980s and 1990s. You had been warning about the risk of hate speeches by some politicians and how this hatred could actually become violence. It happened.

Colombia has always had violence as part of its life. At some point stronger, in others, less. But we thought that this kind of attack was a thing of the past. A few weeks before the attack on Miguel in an interview, I said what I feared most was that verbal violence slowly led us to physical violence. We’ve been through this. And see now what happened. In times of polarization and populism, which walk together, hate speeches are the ones that stand out. I say we can be different and not be enemies. But this is not in fashion, or was not. I think things can change now.

How does the sector evaluate President Gustavo Petro’s attitude before and after the attack?

I consider that the president of a country must be his first educator. President Petro speaks quite aggressively, and in these election campaign times, he always accuses his opponents. The situation in the country is the fault of his predecessor, Iván Duque, who was a bad president, in fact, and those who do not let him go. But Petro is an incapable president. Failed to form a team, efficiently govern the country. What he does is create smoke curtains to divert attention, for example, from corruption scandals. We ended up in a critical situation, and I think the president was not up to what the country needs. It should have empathy and be generous with your opponents.

You are a center leader, and right -wing Turbay Uribe. How is your relationship?

Miguel has been to my house, we talked a lot. On Saturday of the attack we saw each other. He was making a political career, he is a respectable person. It’s all very sad, and the damage to Colombia is great. We have to take care of Colombia. We cannot allow a return to the past.

Other pre-candidates say they are threatened. What is your opinion?

In the midst of chaos, anyone has a theory. But no one has an explanation. The president says the police are infiltrated in the attack, but where are the evidence? And if the police are infiltrated, who can we trust? Governing means having seriousness. Today we live in a Colombia that is afraid, anger and frustrations. The next government is expected to summon everyone and unite the country. That’s what I represent and propose. The attack on Miguel made everything more difficult, because this campaign was marked by this episode.

Petro summoned several people to the presidential palace, but almost no one went. Why didn’t you accept the invitation?

It was all badly done. I received a message from the WhatsApp from a person I do not know, sent two hours before the meeting. The president should ask the invitation to be made on his behalf, with a clear agenda, and to be public. With transparency, you can count on me. But it’s all improvised. Your government is chaos.

The right -wing parties also adopt hate speeches, as well as Petro. It is something new in Colombia, but we have already seen in countries like the United States, Brazil or Argentina. Colombian society seems to be rejecting these hate speeches, which has been a difficulty for the right…

Of course, the right is part of the polarization. But Colombia is tired of it, which I reject. I voted blank [no segundo turno] In 2018 and 2022, and attacked me. Life is giving us reason. Being decent was not in fashion, but life is relentless. It is showing us the value of empathy and solidarity.

Some research, including Atlas Intel, places him first in research. What is your expectation?

We’re fine, but it’s a long battle. We created something different, and we are getting closer and closer. We know how to transform, build.

How was your campaign after the attack?

This kind of episode generates fear in people in general. I have a reduced security. I walk the streets and, with two exceptions, no one has ever assaulted me or was violent to me. Today people ask for more security for candidates, families suffer. The environment has changed because fear limits people. But I’m fine. We all have to be more careful. The government must give security to all we are in public life.

Uribe Turbay’s family said it called for more security and got no response from the government.

It is unfortunate. Everything must be investigated, we have to end the rumors.

Have you reinforced your security?

I don’t talk about it publicly, I don’t think it contributes. I come from another world, I started in politics at 43, I was a math teacher. My way of seeing the world is different, I won’t get into this madness.

In the 2022 campaign, the theme was Petro’s total peace proposal with the guerrillas and criminal groups. Did that fail?

Total peace was total chaos. Today security is a great concern, we have a setback, which ended with this tragic attack. And they can happen more if we don’t act carefully. But there is also concern for corruption, health, education, fiscal deficit. Petro speaks a lot, but is unable to achieve improvements. Let’s show that it is possible to do something different.

If Petro’s total peace failed, what is the way?

I always defended the negotiations, but with Petro it has caused terrible damage. We have been negotiating for 45 years, and learn from it. But the president made elementary mistakes. Partial ceasefrees were decreed, and the voids left by the state were occupied by others. Today we have dissent of dissent.

Last week, in the city of Cali, the third largest in the country, there were 20 attacks. To have peace it takes a solid public force that occupies the spaces. Then comes productive development. The government has made a mistake, and we are paying a very high cost.