Presidential candidate Luis Gilberto Murillo, in an interview with LA NACIÓN, stressed the need to recover territories affected by illegal armed groups through a mix of authority and opportunities. From Andagoya in Chocó, Murillo criticized the Total Peace policy and advocated strengthening public forces with modern technology. He outlined proposals for an opportunity-driven Colombia, focusing on security, infrastructure, and state modernization.
Luis Gilberto Murillo, former Environment Minister, former ambassador, and independent presidential candidate, shared his visions in an interview with LA NACIÓN on February 15, 2026. Having collected over one million signatures for his campaign, Murillo represents the provinces and territories, highlighting his origins in Andagoya, Chocó, an area impacted by groups like the Clan del Golfo and ELN. "With authority, we must recover the territories," he stated, noting that two years ago ICFES exams were not allowed in his hometown due to violence.
Murillo proposed five key engines for the country: security and peace, sustainable infrastructure, investment and trade, education, health, and housing, and state modernization. On security, he criticized the failure of the Total Peace policy for its naivety and recommended a "carrot and stick" approach. He suggested strengthening public forces with drones and shifting doctrine for permanent territorial control, respecting human rights and providing youth opportunities.
Regarding health, he acknowledged that issues are longstanding, present in governments like those of Andrés Pastrana and Juan Manuel Santos. He advocated for a technical and consensual reform, with a mixed public-private model, citizen oversight, and universal primary care in rural areas. On the environment, he recalled his role in ratifying the Paris Agreement and the first climate change law, regretting that only 30% of necessary adaptation investments are made. As minister, he secured 30 million dollars from the Green Climate Fund and implemented the plastic bag tax.
Murillo aims to win in the first round and advance to the second, breaking centralism to govern from the territories. For Huila, he promised more resources through regulating the competencies law.
