Presidential candidate Abelardo De la Espriella announced Tuesday that economist and former minister Jose Manuel Restrepo will be his vice presidential running mate for Colombia’s 2026 elections. The decision, communicated through a video shared on social media and in statements to the press, marks a key step in consolidating his campaign and seeks to strengthen his proposal with a figure recognized in the economic and academic spheres.
The announcement comes at a time of intense reconfiguration of the political landscape following the legislative elections and the interparty primaries that reshaped the country’s electoral map. In that context, the main presidential contenders are beginning to reveal the alliances and names that will make up their presidential tickets, in a race that is starting to take shape just months before the first round.
Restrepo’s designation also sends a signal to sectors of the economic technocracy and the traditional right, going beyond the more histrionic message that has so far characterized the campaign of the far-right candidate. With his trajectory in the government of Iván Duque and in academia, the respected economist becomes a potential bridge between De la Espriella’s candidacy and political sectors seeking an alternative to the current government and to left-wing options from a more traditional right-wing position.
De la Espriella taps former minister Jose Manuel Restrepo as running mate in Colombia
De la Espriella presented Restrepo as a running mate who will bring technical experience and economic credibility to his political project. The candidate explained that his decision was not driven by partisan calculations or external pressures, but by the conviction that his campaign needed a figure with a strong academic profile and experience in public administration.
“The choice of my vice president has not been driven by political calculations or anyone’s recommendations. I firmly believe that Colombia needs to surround itself with people better than oneself in order to rebuild the country,” De la Espriella stressed in a video in which he said his decision was not subject to “cronyism.”
“I have seen my running mate four times in my life. Despite that, from the moment I announced my candidacy I was clear that a reputable academic, a very well-rated former minister, would be the best travel companion in this patriotic contest,” De la Espriella said in the statement.
With this designation, the presidential hopeful gives his potential government a technical and experienced profile, rather than traditional political quotas and independent elements. In that sense, De la Espriella emphasized that Restrepo represents the kind of leadership that, in his view, the country needs to confront economic challenges and restore institutional confidence.
During the announcement, the right-wing presidential candidate said that Colombia requires leadership capable of building consensus despite political differences. He also praised his new running mate, whom he described as an economist with a solid track record, recognized for his performance in public office and for his academic profile.
The lawyer explained that from the beginning of his candidacy he was clear that his vice presidential running mate needed to have strong expertise in economic matters. In his vision of government, Restrepo could play a relevant role in the country’s economic reconstruction and in managing international relations.
The announcement, which was initially scheduled for later in the week, was unexpectedly brought forward and was shared through digital platforms just hours after his main rival, the leftist Iván Cepeda, announced that Indigenous leader Aida Quilcue will be his running mate in the elections.
Colombia necesita un liderazgo fuerte y decidido que construya consensos en las diferencias, y un gobierno pulcro, experto, académico e impoluto.
Así será el gobierno del Tigre: uno conformado por los mejores, sin amiguismos ni cálculos políticos; un gobierno diseñado para hacer… pic.twitter.com/4AMZKKhZUb
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) March 10, 2026
The former minister with an academic profile
José Manuel Restrepo is an economist with extensive experience in the public sector and in academia. Throughout his career he has held high-level positions in the Colombian government and in educational institutions, which has made him a recognized figure within the country’s economic circles.
Restrepo served as minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism between 2018 and 2021 during the administration of former president Iván Duque. He later assumed the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, a position he held until 2022, in a period marked by fiscal and economic challenges stemming from the pandemic and social tensions in the country following the social unrest of the previous year that ended with the forced resignation of minister Carrasquilla and the withdrawal of his controversial tax reform proposal.
Before joining the cabinet, he had developed a long career in academia. He has served as rector of several higher education institutions, including the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración (CESA) and Universidad del Rosario. He currently serves as rector of EIA University in Envigado, Antioquia.
Born in Bogotá, Restrepo is a trained economist and has built his public profile around economic management, public policy and academic leadership. His supporters highlight his technical experience and his analytical capacity in fiscal and productive development issues.
The arrival of the former minister to De la Espriella’s campaign can also be interpreted as an attempt to broaden the reach of the candidacy toward moderate sectors of the political spectrum. Analysts have noted that his figure could attract voters who value administrative experience and economic stability.