The Pacto Histórico held its internal consultation on October 26 to select candidates for Congress and the Presidency, with Iván Cepeda winning the presidential race nationally. In Huila, Lourdes Mateus led the vote for the House with 12,858 votes but faces risks due to fusion issues with Colombia Humana. Participation reached 68,076 votes in the department, highlighting the local left's progress.
On October 26, 2025, Colombia's Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil called on political forces to hold democratic consultations to select candidates for Congress on March 8, 2026, and the Presidency on May 24, 2026. Only the Pacto Histórico participated via popular vote, drawing 2.7 million people nationwide, even though electoral campaigns have not yet begun.
Iván Cepeda won the presidential candidacy with 1,522,357 votes, or 65% of the total, followed by Carolina Corcho with 670,289 votes (28%). In Huila, the consultation recorded 68,076 votes, a result showing growing support for the Pacto in the region. For the House of Representatives, Neiva councilor Lourdes Mateus led with 12,858 votes, narrowly beating Marcela Suárez by 194 votes (12,664). Other candidates included Mauro Saúl Sánchez with 7,712 votes and Ambrocio López with 4,775.
However, the Huila House list, which tallied around 55,000 votes, faces uncertainty. Several aspirants, such as Mauro Sánchez (7,712 votes), Gilber Alexander Bolaños (3,067), and Sonia Caviedes (2,003), registered through Colombia Humana, which failed to merge with the Pacto Histórico due to internal issues, per the National Electoral Council (CNE). Without these 12,782 votes, the list would drop to 43,052, below the required threshold.
Mateus also contends with internal divisions; she has clashed with Suárez, whose votes may stem from allies like Mayor Kleyver Oviedo in Palermo (over 1,100 votes) and Campoalegre (nearly 2,000). For the Senate, Pedro Flórez received 17,000 votes in Huila, but his Colombia Humana registration complicates the national list. The CNE is likely to deny the merger, potentially fracturing the left ahead of 2026.
The Pacto Histórico criticized the Registraduría for removing voting stations in rural areas and reducing them in urban zones, leading to congestions that prevented some from voting. This process highlights women's progress in Huila's left, though logistical and political challenges persist.