Uribismo coordinators from several southern Colombian departments asked former President Álvaro Uribe to consider ex-councilor Yefer Vega for the Centro Democrático's Senate list in 2026. The request points to a lack of regional leadership in the party and recent poor electoral results in the area. Vega is portrayed as a rooted and experienced figure to represent southern interests.
In a statement, uribismo coordinators from departments such as Caquetá, Huila, Putumayo, and Amazonas asked former President Álvaro Uribe to include Huila native ex-councilor Yefer Vega on the Centro Democrático's Senate list for the 2026 elections. The signatories warn of a “lack of leadership” representing the region in Congress, stating that no figure exists capable of defending “with a firm voice” the interests of southern Colombia or the party's historic causes.
They cite recent electoral results as evidence of this weakness: in the last elections, the party won no governorships or capital city mayoralities in those departments, and in the 2022 legislative elections, it only retained one seat in the House for Amazonas. Additionally, they lost representation in Caquetá and Huila, and need to strengthen their presence in Putumayo.
The coordinators highlight Vega's background, from Garzón, Huila, with two undergraduate degrees in Social Communication and Public Administration, and three postgraduate degrees in Conflict Resolution, Public Policies, and Urban and Regional Planning. In his political career, he served two terms as Bogotá councilor, securing 24,000 and 34,000 votes respectively, and in his 2022 Senate candidacy, he garnered 55,000 votes, mostly from the south. These achievements, per the signatories, reflect leadership aligned with uribismo's banners: security, defense of private initiative, and family strengthening.
Over the last 18 months, Vega has toured the region, engaging with over 2,500 social, economic, and cultural leaders, and supporting local Centro Democrático processes. “We respectfully request that this name be included on the Senate list,” the coordinators conclude, arguing that his inclusion could recover the party's representation and political momentum in the south.