The political movement Creemos, founded by the current mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutierrez, officially endorsed the presidential candidacy of attorney Abelardo de La Espriella for the elections next May in Colombia. The decision to support De La spriella, formalized during a public event held in Medellin, confirms the reconfiguration of right-wing options that appear to be clearly leaning toward the far-right independent candidate as the main option to avoid a second left-wing government in the country.
With this important backing, De La Espriella strengthens his prospects while opening a new chapter in the reconfiguration of the opposition to Petroism, clearly tilted toward more extreme positions, such as those represented by the controversial attorney.
The alliance also comes amid tensions within Uribismo and the Democratic Center party, with the resignation of Senator Maria Fernanda Cabal as the latest episode in a long internal crisis, and amid a fragmentation of the right-wing vote.
De La Espriella gains significant support for his presidential bid in Colombia
Creemos’ endorsement was made official at an event in downtown Medellin attended by movement leaders and congressional candidates, including figures close to Mayor Gutierrez. The event publicly sealed the political and electoral support for the presidential hopeful, who is seeking to expand his territorial presence with regional backing.
The movement that brought Gutierrez to the mayor’s office considers the alliance part of a broader political project. In the presidential candidate’s speech, alignment was highlighted on issues such as security, support for the security forces, defense of institutional order, and conservative positions on social and economic matters.
Political analysts see the alliance as a twofold strategy. On one hand, De La Espriella gains territorial structure and political legitimacy. On the other hand, Creemos seeks to consolidate itself as a national force and secure legislative representation with its own lists for Congress, while also confirming a shift toward pragmatism, considering the options that polls give to the main rival of the ruling party, far above other, more traditional candidates from the conservative spectrum.
The decision also implies a distancing from traditional Uribismo in Antioquia, a sector that dominated the regional political landscape for more than two decades. The new alliance opens a scenario of direct competition within the right and could fragment its historical electoral base.
“Colombia can no longer tolerate improvisation and insecurity. In a responsible decision and with the country’s best interests in mind, our Creemos movement is joining Abelardo de La Espriella’s campaign. Together we will defend our institutions and get back on track,” said representatives of Creemos, Gutierrez’s party.
Colombia no aguanta más improvisación ni inseguridad. ✋ En una decisión responsable y pensando en el interés superior del país, nuestro movimiento Creemos adhiere a la campaña de @ABDELAESPRIELLA. Juntos vamos a defender la institucionalidad y recuperar el rumbo. 🇨🇴 @juligu0204 pic.twitter.com/KG2R1ihuDG
— Partido Creemos (@creemosco) January 28, 2026
Gutierrez’s role in the traditional right
Federico Gutierrez was the candidate of the traditional right in the 2022 presidential elections. In that electoral process, he represented the bet of the conservative establishment and Uribismo, although he failed to advance to the runoff. He was surpassed by then–outsider candidate Rodolfo Hernandez, who ultimately contested the presidency against Gustavo Petro.
That political background is key to understanding the weight of the current endorsement. Gutierrez retains electoral capital in Antioquia and in urban sectors, which turns his support into a strategic asset for any presidential candidacy within the conservative spectrum.
The political trajectory of the mayor of Medellin also explains the symbolic dimension of the endorsement. His figure has been associated with the institutional right and with a discourse focused on public order and urban management, projecting onto De La Espriella a profile of continuity in terms of security and the model of the state.
The alliance between Creemos and De La Espriella reshapes the political map ahead of the presidential elections. The Medellin mayor’s movement obtained close to 700,000 votes in recent local elections, representing a significant electoral base that is now being transferred to the national race.
The new political bloc could position De La Espriella as one of the main rivals of petrismo in a potential runoff, in a scenario that remains open and marked by the fragmentation of the opposition.
At the same time, the Colombian right faces the challenge of avoiding vote dispersion, while new leadership figures attempt to consolidate themselves outside traditional structures. Gutierrez’s endorsement symbolizes that process of political transition within the sector.
De La Espriella and the rise of a populist far-right candidacy
Abelardo de La Espriella has built his candidacy around a tough-on-crime discourse, political nationalism, and direct confrontation with the left. The lawyer gathered millions of signatures to validate his candidacy and has insisted on a message centered on rebuilding the country and strengthening state authority.
Although he maintains political closeness with former President Alvaro Uribe, he is not part of the Democratic Center party, which has allowed him to build his own project within the Colombian right.
Creemos’ endorsement adds to other regional support and reflects the internal crisis of Uribismo, which faces divisions and lower levels of support than in previous electoral cycles.
Within the candidate’s political discourse, references to traditional values, defense of the security forces, and proposals to toughen measures against crime stand out, elements that place him in the hardest wing of the Colombian conservative spectrum.
With the official endorsement of Federico Gutierrez, the presidential campaign enters a phase of regional alliances and strategic repositioning. The evolution of these coalitions will be decisive for the balance of power in the 2026 presidential election, where a June runoff increasingly appears likely between the continuity represented by Ivan Cepeda and the renewed right of De La Espriella.