One of the most important developments in the electoral race ahead of Colombia’s 2026 presidential elections is the breakup of a left-wing faction with the pro-government bloc that had so far led the country’s progressive agenda.
In recent days, the movement Fuerza Ciudadana, headed by former Magdalena governor Carlos Caicedo, announced that it is stepping away from the structures of the Historical Pact and from the agreements of the so-called Broad Front to build its own path toward the interparty primaries in March and, eventually, the presidential election in May of next year. This move places on the table a new configuration of forces within the Colombian left, which until recently appeared to be moving toward greater unification under the leadership of Senator Ivan Cepeda.
For weeks, there had been rumors of distancing between Caicedo and the government of President Gustavo Petro, reflecting deeper tensions over the direction the left should take in Colombia. The formal announcement of the independent primary, where Caicedo will compete alongside former Commerce Minister Luis Carlos Reyes and former magistrate Jaime Araujo Renteria to define a single alternative candidate, marks the turning point of that trend.
The primary is scheduled for March 8, 2026, the same date as the congressional elections, and is presented as an alternative to the Broad Front promoted by the Historical Pact and sectors allied with President Petro.
Thus, there will be three left-wing currents competing for Colombia’s presidency in 2026: The majority faction that seeks continuity with the current government, led by Ivan Cepeda of the Historical Pact; that of former Medellin mayor Daniel Quintero; and that of Fuerza Ciudadana.
A left-wing faction breaks with the ruling party for the 2026 elections in Colombia
Caicedo’s announcement was accompanied by a statement emphasizing the need for a “primary with democratic, progressive, and left-wing sectors,” which — according to its organizers — would also be open to center-left forces that feel distanced from the traditional ruling coalition.
The alliance between Caicedo and Reyes is further formalized by the presence of Jaime Araujo Renteria, and although the primary initially includes this trio of contenders, the coalition has said it is open to other endorsements that share its values and agenda.
This movement not only represents an electoral strategy to compete for a presidential nomination from outside the ruling bloc, but also an ideological stance. Caicedo has criticized recent decisions by the Broad Front and the Historic Pact, arguing that they include figures who, in his view, do not represent the deeply progressive roots of the transformative project he advocates.
With this message, he seeks to attract sectors that feel the traditional left has lost its way or grown too close to political practices that contradict its founding principles.
Hoy nace el proyecto político para redistribuir la riqueza, vivir en paz y seguridad y transformar las instituciones de Colombia.
Nace la Coalición Fuerza Ciudadana: una izquierda independiente que surge del pueblo, la izquierda con resultados.
Invitamos a la ciudadanía a… pic.twitter.com/HNpjN943LU
— Carlos Caicedo (@carlosecaicedo) December 5, 2025
Three leftist currents heading toward 2026 in Colombia
With this announcement, the spectrum of the Colombian left heading into the presidential elections clearly fragments into three major options. The first is the majority and continuity-oriented current, led by Ivan Cepeda, who won the internal primary of the Historical Pact and is emerging as the presidential candidate of the major bloc that supported President Petro. Cepeda represents, so far, the most organized force with the strongest electoral structure within the traditional left, and his candidacy seeks to capitalize on the legacy of the current government.
The second option is that of former Medellin mayor Daniel Quintero, who at the last minute withdrew from the unity spaces promoted by Cepeda and the Historical Pact. Although his departure introduced some uncertainty about his political direction, he remains a figure with his own strength and a sector of followers who see him as an outsider within the progressive current. Nonetheless, his controversial mayoralty and the challenges posed by electoral bodies regarding Quintero’s legal options to run in these elections reduce the chances of a candidacy that many progressive voters view with suspicion.
Finally, the third option is the one proposed by Fuerza Ciudadana, led by Caicedo and organized alongside minor leftist parties, among them Comunes, the party that inherited the now-defunct FARC. This last alliance not only intends to compete for the presidential candidacy, but also to run its own congressional lists, consolidating an alternative political space that offers a different interpretation of Colombian progressivism.
Internal tensions and new leadership
Fuerza Ciudadana’s decision to break with the pro-government bloc does not occur in a vacuum. The disagreements between Caicedo and President Petro have been building up for months, reflecting tensions over the treatment of the regions, the management of public policies, and the coordination of progressive forces in the country. This distancing deepened after some recent electoral results, in which the traditional alliances of petrismo failed to achieve the expected outcomes in certain regional strongholds, generating internal questioning.
For many analysts, the fragmentation of the left could have significant effects on the first round of the presidential elections in May. A dispersion of candidacies and proposals could make it difficult to consolidate a single option capable of bringing together the entire progressive and center-left electorate, opening the door to competitive scenarios with the political center and the traditional right.
In this context, the March primary is emerging as a key instance to measure internal strengths and determine which of the three currents will be able to project itself more forcefully into the final contest.
Meanwhile, Caicedo and his allies are working to build a message that resonates with disenchanted voters, emphasizing the need for policies that address regional inequalities, the centralization of power, and a deeper social agenda. The inclusion of Comunes in this coalition also reinforces the post–peace agreement dimension and sets the stage for a complex electoral dispute filled with symbolism, where each sector of the left seeks to redefine its identity and its project for the country in the coming years.
The new configuration of the Colombian left, therefore, not only marks a stage of more intense internal competition but also a rethinking of strategies that could decisively influence Colombia’s political course toward 2026. Amid debates, primaries, and alliances, the struggle to define a candidacy that represents progressive sectors continues — now more fragmented and competitive than ever.