Potential Left-Wing Candidates for Colombia’s 2026 Presidential Elections

An electoral survey conducted by market research agency Guarumo has identified potential left-wing candidates for Colombia’s 2026 presidential election. Although the election is still far off, Colombian progressives are already considering how to secure a consensus candidate who can maintain power and continue the mandate of current President Gustavo Petro.

While the study lists several possible candidates, none have confirmed any intention to run. If they do, they face two key challenges: low visibility and limited voter support. These factors may pose significant hurdles in the race for the presidency.

Possible left-wing presidential candidates and the challenge of continuity in Colombia

The Guarumo study proposes thirteen possible leftist candidates, and eight who represent what it categorises as center-left. These individuals are all linked to the government of President Petro.

However, 47 percent of those questioned in the survey said they do not like any of the possible candidates. The survey also identified that engagement and understanding around the elections was low. Increasing their visibility, unifying voters, and attempting to quell criticism towards the leftist government will therefore be critical challenges for all potential candidates.

Maria Jose Pizarro is favourite among left-wingers

Maria Jose Pizarro, a senator from the Colombian government’s Historic Pact, currently leads among left-wing voters with 9.2% support, according to the survey. Pizarro is the daughter of former M-19 guerrilla leader Carlos Pizarro, who ran for president in 1990 and was assassinated that April.

A rising figure in the Colombian left, Pizarro, 46, serves as the first vice president of the Senate and is a spokesperson for the ruling coalition. She is closely linked to President Gustavo Petro, her father’s comrade-in-arms in the M-19. Pizarro studied in Barcelona, Spain, where she lived for 12 years after her father’s death, before returning to Colombia in 2010.

She entered politics in 2011 as Bogota’s Secretary of Culture and began her legislative career in 2018 when she was elected to the House of Representatives for Colombia Humana, Petro’s political party. In 2022, Pizarro had the honor of presenting the presidential sash to Petro during his inauguration.

Today, Pizarro is working to unify the left by creating a single political party ahead of the legislative elections in two years. She aims to merge the various political entities and social movements that currently make up the Historic Pact, a move that could boost her chances for a future presidential run.

Other possible candidates within the Colombian left wing

Guarumo’s study identifies 12 additional potential candidates for the Colombian presidency. Senator Ivan Cepeda, a veteran of progressive politics, ranks second with 7.3% support. Cepeda, one of the leaders of the government’s peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN), shares a tragic history with María José Pizarro, as both had fathers who were assassinated.

Daniel Quintero, former mayor of Medellín, is in third place with 6.1%. An independent who won the mayorship of Colombia’s second-largest city from the right, Quintero has supported President Petro but is not part of the governing party. Despite criticism and discredit after leaving local office, he remains a strong contender.

In fourth place is Vice President Francia Marquez, with 5.7%. A social activist, Marquez has not played a prominent role in government and has faced criticism for the Ministry of Equality’s lackluster performance since its creation last year.

Gustavo Bolivar, a high-ranking government official, comes in fifth with 5.6%. A former senator and key figure on the left, Bolivar recently suffered a major defeat in his bid for Bogota’s mayoralty last October, despite the city’s progressive history.

Candidates with limited support

The list of leftist possible candidates is completed by individuals including Camilo Romero, current Colombian ambassador to Argentina (3.4 percent); Carlos Caicedo, political leader of the Caribbean coast, former mayor of Santa Marta and governor of Magdalena (3 percent); and Roy Barreras, a veteran politician with a conservative past who currently serves as Colombian ambassador to London (1.9 percent).

Luis Gilberto Murillo, current foreign minister and former Colombian ambassador to the U.S. follows, with 1.7 percent. His role as a centrist could give him greater support in the future and outside the organic left.

Veronica Alcocer, wife of President Petro (1.5 percent); Luis Fernando Velasco, until a few months ago Minister of the Interior (1.2 percent); David Racero, former president of the House of Representatives (1.1 percent) and a close collaborator of President Petro; and Minister of Environment, Susana Muhamad (0.7 percent), close the list.

Related: Colombian Left Seeks Unity to Win Again in 2026 Elections