Uribista senator Paloma Valencia has closed her electoral campaign with an interview with four influencers: Yeferson Cossio, MrStivenTC (Stiven Tangarife), Cintia Cossio, and Carolina Gómez. In a white room, with four portraits of models, they received the Uribista senator after 5:00 pm, after clarifying that it was not an event to convince people to vote for her. “Just vote, that is imperative,” said Cossio at the start of the talk.
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From Barranquilla, the epicenter of this electoral campaign and the city contested vote by vote by the right and the left, President Gustavo Petro participated in politics again. From the iconic Plaza de la Paz, where he says he came to say goodbye to his term, he led a government event in which he indirectly referred to the far-right Abelardo de la Espriella. “I cannot talk about politics (…) But the usual ones now say they are those who have never governed. Nonsense! Those who have never governed are in this plaza. Now those who call themselves ‘The never’ are the same paramilitaries who filled the fertile lands of the Caribbean with blood.”
The president refers to one of De la Espriella’s campaign slogans, which claims he represents “the never,” “those who have never governed”; a term interpreted as an adaptation of “the nobodies,” with which Petro came to power. Although the far-right sells himself as an outsider anti-establishment, he has behind him several political clans from the establishment such as Los Char, the most powerful surname on the Caribbean coast. Despite the Law of Guarantees imposing a “duty of neutrality” on the president, Petro continues making statements with political content, for which he already has ten active processes against him.
Colombian electoral laws also prohibit candidates from holding political acts in open spaces or public squares from the Monday before the elections. Faced with this restriction, candidates have turned to social networks and the media, just one day before the elections. This Saturday, candidates play their last cards. The left-wing candidate, Iván Cepeda, will speak at night with journalist Daniel Coronell, almost simultaneously with the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella’s conversation with influencer Westcol. Meanwhile, Señal Colombia, a state television channel, will broadcast a documentary about Petro’s life at night.
Paloma Valencia warns about possible vote buying “to favor continuity projects of the current government”
Senator Paloma Valencia’s campaign warned on Saturday afternoon about possible vote buying in the upcoming elections. “I have received worrying information from different regions of the country about possible vote-buying operations and other irregular practices aimed at affecting the transparency of this Sunday’s electoral day,” reads a press release from Valencia’s campaign. The Uribista candidate insists that, although it is up to the authorities to verify these reports, their seriousness obliges them to alert public opinion. “We are concerned that political interests try to distort the free will of citizens to favor continuity projects of the current government.”
Valencia made an urgent call to all authorities to strengthen surveillance over the process and promptly address complaints and act with the full force of the law against any attempt at vote buying. “Colombia deserves free, transparent elections respected by all. Democracy cannot be hijacked by electoral corruption or by those who believe power can be maintained through illegal practices.”
Without evidence, Álvaro Uribe accuses Iván Cepeda of belonging to the FARC
Hours before the presidential elections begin, right-wing former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez has accused candidate Iván Cepeda Castro without evidence of belonging to the former FARC guerrilla. “Cepeda invites all businessmen to support him, but his political life in the FARC, in Castroism, and in Chavismo has been about creating class hatred. Comrades know about electoral hypocrisy, don’t believe them, remember Chávez’s promises.” Uribe’s accusation, who has become the chief debater for candidate Paloma Valencia, comes after Cepeda announced this Saturday his intention to dialogue with the country’s businessmen to reach agreements.
“I can lose the elections, but it is painful that a baby is included to discredit a person”: Santiago Botero responds to the domestic violence complaint against him
Presidential candidate Santiago Botero, who has less than 2% voting intention according to all polls, has issued a statement about the domestic violence complaint filed by his wife Manuela Echeverri against him, which led a Family Commissary to evict him from his apartment early this morning. “I have no problem with my ex-partner because she is an excellent woman, but I know she is being used by candidates for whom this type of scandal serves, like Abelardo and the dirty right of this country,” he said on his social networks.
The candidate, who says he is “the surprise of this May 31,” is not even among the top 10 with the most chances to reach the Casa de Nariño. But his name has captured the media due to his particular campaign slogan, which promises to “break the system” and “pellets for the corrupt.” On Saturday morning, however, a Family Commissary in Cartagena evicted him from his apartment after his wife reported that he did not allow her or their 10-month-old baby to enter the house.
The woman had reported Botero more than a month ago for domestic violence. In one of the videos revealed on social media, the presidential candidate is heard threatening one of the officers carrying out the procedure against him with “lead.” “I have acted responsibly with every act and every word, not to please a person but to fulfill God, who sees everything,” he said in the statement.
Paloma Valencia, in an interview with influencers: “Economic empowerment is the first step to prevent violence against women”
Senator Paloma Valencia has insisted on her main proposals to benefit women during an interview with Yeferson Cossio, Mr Stiven, and other influencers. Valencia has promised to deliver one million houses for single mothers: “Economic empowerment is the first step to prevent violence against women.”
The Democratic Center candidate, Paloma Valencia (center), accompanied by politician Ingrid Betancourt (right) visits the Basilica of July 20 on Saturday, May 30, in Bogotá. / Paloma Valencia Campaign
Paloma Valencia, accompanied by Ingrid Betancourt, entrusts her campaign to the Child Jesus
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In the message, Valencia reiterates her main proposals: recovering security, the health system, and achieving a fraternal economy. Following the tone of the final phase of her campaign, she has also taken the opportunity to subtly criticize the candidate with whom she is competing for right-wing votes, Abelardo de la Espriella. “Today we have two paths: the paths of spectacle, show, hatred, and the path of a Colombia where Colombians win.” And she concludes: “Between decency and opportunism, you must always choose decency.”
Cepeda speaks to the country one day before the elections: “Colombia’s future is in the hands of its people”
Presidential candidate Iván Cepeda made a speech this Saturday, one day before the polls open in Colombia. With his characteristic calm tone, standing in front of a lectern and in an image that seemed more like a presidential address than an announcement, the candidate gave a message of thanks and campaign closure. “Dear compatriots, I address you with only a few hours left before the polls open and the people exercise one of their most fundamental rights: to freely decide their destiny.”
The message, which lasted just over 10 minutes, recounted his campaign, thanked his team, and emphasized his proposals to reach the Casa de Nariño. “To the soldiers and police, I want to say that we will maintain and strengthen the advances achieved in salary, benefits, and pensions. We will continue strengthening security in the territories and institutional capacities to guarantee citizens’ peace,” he said.
With a more triumphant air, Cepeda assured he will govern for all Colombians and sent a message to the opposition. “I will watch over the rights of every person and the strict compliance with the Constitution and the Law.
The opposition will have full democratic guarantees, and from this moment I extend to its leaders a sincere invitation to respectful and constructive dialogue to advance a great national agreement.”
The bet on a national agreement has been the focus of his campaign, along with other pillars such as the fight against corruption. This week he announced former Defense Minister Iván Velásquez as the person who, in a possible government of his, would lead the Anti-Corruption Plan he has explained in all his speeches and interviews.
As a closing message, he assured that Colombia has a date with history tomorrow. “I invite you to vote for the future, for the elimination of poverty and inequality; the protection of our natural wealth; for a modern, productive, and diversified economy (…) Colombia’s future is in the hands of its people.” Without attacks or stridency, and with his usual serenity, Cepeda closed with an invitation to freely participate in the elections.
The registrar confirms that electoral material has arrived in all municipalities of Colombia
National registrar Hernán Penagos has reported that the transfer of electoral material to the country’s 1,103 municipalities has been completed. During this Saturday, the transfer to polling stations in rural areas such as hamlets, townships, and populated centers will be finished.
According to Penagos, so far no incidents have been reported that have implied the transfer of any polling station for security or logistical reasons. “We continue monitoring minute by minute the transfer of electoral material, the installation of electoral kits, and ensuring that we have no difficulties so that tomorrow at eight in the morning, the more than 122,000 polling tables are installed without setbacks.”
Sergio Fajardo also closes his campaign on social media
Candidate Sergio Fajardo has also decided to close his campaign on social media. On the last afternoon before the elections, the former mayor of Medellín made a live video on his TikTok account in which he talked with his followers. According to the campaign, in this last session Fajardo spoke with more than 214,000 people. Paloma Valencia will have a stream with several influencers. Abelardo de la Espriella will be in an interview with Westcol. Iván Cepeda will talk with journalist Daniel Coronell.
Paloma Valencia closes her campaign in an interview with Yeferson Cossio, Mr Stiven, and other influencers
Paloma Valencia meets with four influencers: Yeferson Cossio, MrStivenTC (Stiven Tangarife), Cintia Cossio, and Carolina Gómez. In a white room, with four portraits of models, they received the Uribista senator after 5:00 pm, after clarifying that it was not an event to convince people to vote for her. “Just vote, that is imperative,” said Cossio at the start of the talk. “I, damn it, since I publicly say I support you, they are giving me a hard time…,” he adds.
The meeting takes place on the candidate’s official YouTube account and on the Kick channels of the four influencers. Together, they have more than 30 million followers on their social networks. Thousands of these shared their messages of support live. However, many ‘abelardistas’ also joined the live stream, recalling the meeting of the far-right Abelardo de la Espriella and Westcol, one hour after Valencia’s started. “I am Uribista but I vote Abelardo to defeat Petro and his heir for Colombia”; “Paloma’s streams always have few connected, you are the minority. Join, please. Be patriotic, don’t be such traitors.”
More information: Paloma Valencia meets with four influencers 15 hours before the start of the elections
