Senator Iván Cepeda launched his candidacy for the 2026 presidential elections.

After days of speculation about his political future, Senator Iván Cepada officially announced his presidential bid this Friday in the city of Pasto (Nariño). He did so during an event called "The Power of Truth," a space in which the peace negotiator spoke to the public about the legal proceedings that pitted him against former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez for years.

"From Nariño, a land of historic struggles and collective construction among alternative forces, surrounded by social leaders, women, and youth, I come to present my name to the Colombian people as the Historic Pact's pre-candidate for the Presidency of the Republic," said the now pre-candidate.

And then he added: "I make this decision in obedience to the collective will. I don't understand politics as a mere exercise of personal aspirations, but rather as a commitment to just causes and the mandate of the people."

Cepeda stated that his goal is to continue the government's program of the Historic Pact, about which he acknowledged there is still much to be done. "However, there is still much to be done. We must move forward decisively with other social reforms, with the comprehensive construction of peace, and with the eradication of corruption," he added.

The senator also spoke about the main thrust of his campaign and said it will be up to the public to decide which reforms to prioritize. Furthermore, if elected, he will continue to champion a negotiated solution to the war and combat all forms of corruption.

" From day one, I have clearly announced that I will be implacable against any form of corruption. First and foremost, to those who join me in this campaign and, if the people so decide, in government: I demand absolute integrity and transparency," he added.

“I declare, with complete conviction, that I will respect democratic rules, starting with the Constitution. I will respect the institutions, the public powers, and their independence. But at the same time, I will defend and promote all forms of democratic participation: the right of citizens and the masses to express themselves, to criticize, and to mobilize in a permanent, peaceful, and organized manner,” he said.

The announcement comes after his own party, the Democratic Pole, as well as other leftist sectors, asked him to launch his candidacy ahead of next year's elections. Politically, Cepeda's image has gained additional weight in the current situation following the conviction of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez in the witness tampering case. The senator was not only an acknowledged victim in that judicial process, but also one of Uribe's main political opponents in Congress over the last decade.

Although he failed to reach an agreement with the ELN in his role as negotiator, Cepeda has become one of the most respected names on the Colombian left. "He has proven to be a courageous politician, vehemently defending human rights, peace, democracy, and social justice, and fiercely fighting for the truth," the Polo stated this week in a press release.

This support was added to by the Mothers of Soacha, an organization that brings together families of victims of extrajudicial executions. "He has placed us at the center of public debate and was the one who accompanied us in defending our rights before the Supreme Court. He has brought our voice to international stages, turning our struggle into a symbol of ethical and political resistance. (...) Iván Cepeda has the experience, integrity, and social support to be the president who takes up the banner of those historically battered," they stated.

Cepeda, son of former Patriotic Union senator Manuel Cepeda—assassinated in August 1994—and a philosopher by profession, entered the political arena in 2010 after being elected to the House of Representatives for Bogotá. In 2014, with more than 80,000 votes, he won a seat in the Senate of the Republic, a seat he retained for the 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 terms.

His work has also been linked to the peace efforts of various governments: between 2012 and 2016, he facilitated the peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP, and through his role in Congress, he has promoted the regulatory implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.

CAMILO A. CASTILLOSpecial envoy to Pasto, NariñoX: (@camiloandres894)