The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, exercised his right to vote on Sunday morning as part of the legislative elections being held across the country. After casting his ballot, the president called on citizens to actively participate in the election day and choose those who will represent the interests of the people in Congress over the coming years.
More than 41 million citizens are eligible to vote in the election that will renew the Colombian Congress, selecting new members of the Senate and the House of Representatives for the 2026–2030 term. More than 3,000 candidates are competing for seats in a process considered decisive for the country’s political balance and for the scenario leading up to the next presidential elections.
Related: Left-Wing Presidential Candidate Ivan Cepeda Votes in Sunday’s Congressional Elections.
President Petro votes in Colombia elections, urges participation
President Petro cast his vote this Sunday at polling station 1 in Plaza de Bolivar, changing his usual practice of voting at the Marco Antonio Carreño Silva school in the Puente Aranda locality, where he traditionally votes.
After exercising his right to vote, the president invited all Colombians to participate in the elections and to consciously choose those who will have the responsibility of legislating on behalf of the country. “I have just voted for the Senate and the House. I invite all other Colombians to continue along this path; deciding in Colombia today is basically about who makes the law,” he said.
The president also highlighted the importance that those elected do so with the commitment to legislate in favor of the general interest and the well-being of the Colombian people, as established by the Constitution. “It is essential that whoever makes the law does so, as the Constitution orders, for the general interest, that is, for the people of Colombia,” he said.
In that sense, the president called on citizens, in exercising their democratic right, to responsibly choose those who will represent their interests in Congress. “I invite all citizens to choose who, man or woman, which party can represent the general interest and the interest of the voter,” he concluded.
On his account on the social network X, and alongside an image of his ballot, the Colombian president added a direct message calling for people to vote freely: “Do not sell your vote, do not vote for your executioner,” in reference to vote buying.
He votado solo senado y cámara.
No venda el voto, no vote por su verdugo pic.twitter.com/q6oDK6BVQC
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) March 8, 2026
A key day for the country’s political future
The legislative elections being held this Sunday are considered one of the most relevant political events on Colombia’s electoral calendar. In total, more than 100 seats in the Senate and more than 180 in the House of Representatives will be renewed, bodies that make up Congress and that will have the task of legislating over the next four years.
In addition to defining the composition of the legislative branch, the day has added importance because it coincides with internal consultations by several political coalitions seeking to choose their candidates for the presidential elections scheduled for late May. These consultations also serve as a measure of popular support for the country’s different political currents.
The electoral process mobilizes millions of voters across the national territory and includes a broad security deployment to ensure the day proceeds normally. Authorities have deployed thousands of members of the public force to protect polling stations and ensure the democratic exercise proceeds without incident.
In this context, President Petro’s call to participate in the elections adds to institutional efforts to encourage broad turnout at the polls. Citizen participation will be one of the determining factors in defining the legitimacy of the new Congress and in shaping Colombia’s political landscape on the eve of the presidential race.
Throughout the day, electoral authorities will continue monitoring the development of voting across the country, while political parties and candidates await results that will begin to emerge after polling stations close. The outcome of these elections will outline the balance of forces in Congress and will set the tone for political debate in Colombia in the coming years.