Presidential candidate Roy Barreras persists in his bid despite poor results in the March 8 consultation, aiming to rally 5 million undecided voters wary of political extremes. He blames President Gustavo Petro for undermining his performance by discouraging participation. Barreras warns that victory by either radical left or extreme right would render the country ungovernable.
Roy Barreras, former congressman and presidential candidate, reaffirms his campaign following poor results in the March 8 interparty consultation. He states that a political space remains in the center for 5 million undecided Colombians who align with neither radical left nor extreme right.
"Whichever of the two extremes wins would leave an ungovernable country," Barreras warned, pointing to risks of social unrest or economic paralysis. He insists his candidacy provides a viable alternative to this "tragic dilemma".
Barreras attributes his weak electoral showing to President Gustavo Petro's interventions, who urged abstention from the consultation and discouraged voting card requests. "That was unprecedented," he said, adding that Petro "almost explicitly caused people to abstain".
The candidate outlines an original strategy with the Pacto Histórico: a left-wing consultation followed by his March competition. "With the prohibition to vote for me, the possibility of a center-left government for Colombia died," he lamented. He distinguishes ideologically from Iván Cepeda, with whom he shares 17 years of friendship, clarifying: "He is left-wing, I am center-liberal".
Barreras declares this his final campaign and avoids commitments on a potential second round, stating: "Colombia has not decided its president yet" and "we are not doomed to the extremes".
