Colombia: presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt leaves centrist coalition

The Franco-Colombian denounces “manigans” within the Alliance that must organize a primary. She will launch with her ecologist party Verde Oxigeno for the election of May 29th.

Le Monde with AFP

Ingrid Betancourt remains a candidate for the Colombian election of May 29, but it is finally under the colors of his party that she will present. The Franco-Colombian announced, Saturday, January 29, that she would leave the alliance of centrist parties Coalition Centro Esperanza (Coalition of Hope), invoking “manigans” within it.

To represent the centrist coalition in the presidential election, the ex-hostage for more than six years of the FARC guerrilla, had to win a primary, organized on March 13 to decide the candidates of the Coalition

“We are obliged to dismiss ourselves from the coalition of hope, I will be an independent candidate in the presidency”, Has it declared in a video published on social networks, ensuring that it would start in the race Presidency with his ecologist movement Verde Oxigeno.

The ballot will take place on May 29 and June 19. It will be interested for four years the President of the Republic who will succeed Ivan Duque, which is not eligible for a second term, the Colombian Constitution granting a single mandate to the Head of State.

“hostages of corruption”

Colombians are “hostages of corruption,” said M me betancourt. “We call all the Colombians and Colombians to build together this path to free ourselves from corruption,” she added.

Ms. Betancourt announced on 18 January his intention to compete to the presidential election, presenting himself as an alternative to face-to-face, structuring in Colombia, between the right to power and the left, represented by the former mayor of Bogota and former guerrilla Gustavo Petro, today the favorite in the polls.

M me Betancourt was kidnapped in 2002 by the Marxist guerrilla of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as she campaigned for the presidency. It has been rescued in 2008 during a military operation and has since lived from abroad, regularly staying in Colombia where it often takes part in the public debate.

/Media reports.