Ingrid Betancourt remains a candidate in the Colombian election on May 29, but it is ultimately under the colors of her party that she will run. The Franco-Colombian announced on Saturday January 29 that she was going to leave the alliance of centrist parties Coalition Centro Esperanza (Coalition of Hope), citing “schemes” within it.
To represent the centrist coalition in the presidential election, the ex-hostage for more than six years of the FARC guerrillas, first had to win a primary, organized on March 13 to decide between the candidates of the coalition
“We are forced to move away from the Coalition of Hope, I will be an independent candidate for the presidency”, she said in a video published on social networks, assuring that she would launch the race for the presidency with her environmental movement Verde Oxigeno.
Voting will take place on May 29 and June 19. It will be a question of electing for four years the President of the Republic who will succeed Ivan Duque, who is not eligible for a second mandate, the Colombian Constitution granting a single mandate to the Head of State.
“Hostages of Corruption”
Colombians are “hostages of corruption”said M.me Betancourt. “We call on all Colombians to build this path together to free us from corruption”she added.
Mme Betancourt had announced on January 18 his intention to compete in the presidential election, presenting himself as an alternative to the face-to-face, structuring in Colombia, between the right in power and the left, represented by the ex-mayor of Bogota and former guerrilla fighter Gustavo Petro, today the favorite in the polls.
Mme Betancourt was kidnapped in 2002 by the Marxist guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning for the presidency. She was rescued in 2008 during a military operation and has since lived abroad, regularly staying in Colombia where she often takes part in public debate.