Most Influential Presidents in the History of Colombia

Listing the most influential presidents of Colombia may be both subjective and controversial. For the first time in history, Fundacion Liderazgo y Democracia (The Leadership and Democracy Organization), a nonprofit created in 1997 to improve democracy and strengthen its institutions, partnered with intellectuals and historians to create a rigorous ranking of the 42 Colombians who have achieved the presidency and stood out for their legacy. Five in particular stand out in this ranking.

Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo (1934-1938, 1942-1945), the modernizer

Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo is considered one of the most important statesmen in Colombia during the 20th century. He served two terms as president, thanks to his valuable leadership in achieving significant political and social transformations. He believed it was possible to change society while maintaining a strong democratic structure.

His most notable work as president came with a series of reforms called “La Revolución en Marcha” (Revolution on the March), his most important social initiative. This period was known for union legalization, the recognition of civil rights for women, labor rights, and women’s right to vote, among other achievements. This revolution also aimed to modernize the country and integrate it into a capitalist economy.

Alberto Lleras Camargo (1945-1946, 1958-1962), the journalist president

Many will agree that Alberto Lleras Camargo during his life as a journalist, writer, politician and diplomat, left an important legacy for Colombia and future generations.

Lleras Camargo started as a reporter in Bogota, for the prestigious newspaper El Tiempo. He soon gravitated toward politics, becoming speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and Minister of the Interior. When President Alfonso Lopez Michelsen resigned, Lleras, then serving as Foreign Minister, was tapped to serve out the term. Lleras was known for his commitment to dialogue over violent confrontation, encapsulated in his belief that “his arms were pen and words”. As a president, Lleras achieved important goals for Colombia.

Lleras established a strong relationship with the United States, forging a friendship with John F. Kennedy and creating the Alianza Para El Progreso (Alliance For Progress), a 10-year plan to foster economic cooperation between North and South America. This alliance aimed to encourage the adoption of anti-poverty policies that would increase the legitimacy of Latin American governments and thus prevent communist revolutions.

Lleras implemented a significant agrarian reform. In 1950, he created INCORA, a major support source for farmers in Colombia. The law allowed farmers without land to own it for productive purposes. He strongly supported farmers, aiming to provide them access to land as a key goal of the agrarian reform. Lleras believed land ownership was a valuable asset for economic and social mobility.

Another major project was the Pacto Andino (The Andean Pact), an economic and social organization with international legal status established in 1969 in Cartagena, Colombia. It aimed to integrate the economies of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile (which withdrew in 1976), and Venezuela to promote regional industrialization. Through this project, Lleras achieved substantial increases in regional trade and industrial growth.

After the Colombian presidency, Lleras served as head of the Pan-American Union, where he spent seven years transforming it into today’s stronger Organization of American States, largely shaping its character.

Alvaro Uribe Velez (2002-2010), Colombia’s most influential president in recent history

A politician, lawyer, and businessman, Alvaro Uribe Velez served two terms as president of Colombia. In his 2002 campaign for president, he split from the traditional dominant Liberal and Conservative parties and ran as an independent, breaking the monopoly these parties had held for decades. Elected with the slogan “Firm Hand, Big Heart,” he promised a tougher line against guerrillas. He was reelected in 2006, implementing antiterrorism laws that empowered police forces as guerrilla attacks continued in Colombia.

Uribe garnered major popularity for his policies and zero tolerance for FARC and other criminal organizations. Many agree he may be remembered as one of Colombia’s most influential presidents in recent history for his efforts to tackle guerrillas and drug traffickers when Colombia was on the verge of becoming a failed state. A high point for Uribe was the release in July 2008 of former Congress member and presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, perhaps FARC’s most high-profile hostage, after six years of captivity.

Uribe’s biggest accomplishment in security affairs was the Democratic Security Policy, aimed at ending the 40-year conflict. Through this policy, he regained control of the country by increasing the number and capacity of troops and police units and deploying them across Colombia to challenge the guerrillas. The policy was also successful in eradicating illicit crops, thus denying revenue to guerrillas and paramilitary groups by reducing coca and opium poppy production.

However, Uribe was not immune to political scandals, particularly one that damaged his second term: the “False Positives” scandal. This dark episode involved corruption and human rights abuses, with at least 2,000 victims. Civilians were murdered by army officials dressed in rebel clothing to be presented as gunmen killed in combat.

Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018), the Nobel Prizewinner

Politician and economist Juan Manuel Santos received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 for his efforts to end the war with FARC. He served two terms as president of Colombia.

Juan Manuel Santos comes from a very influential political family that notably founded El Tiempo, one of the country’s largest newspapers. Santos’ biggest achievement while in office was the legacy of peace, one of the reasons he was awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end Colombia’s half-century-old armed conflict with FARC. This ongoing effort will leave an enduring legacy for generations of Colombians.

Even though Santos achieved disarming FARC and did what his predecessors had not, many have criticized the peace accord as an imperfect agreement made in his rush to win the Nobel Prize. Today, dissident groups continue to rise in Colombia, the number of social leaders murdered remains an unfortunate reality, and the safety and security of civilians have decreased.

Given the importance of the peace accord to Santos’ legacy, the crucial question that will determine how history remembers him is whether the peace accord can endure. So far, the government of Gustavo Petro continues to aim for peace and open dialogues with guerrilla groups, but this has been a very complex process to achieve successfully in Colombia.

Gustavo Petro (2022-2026), Colombia’s president of change

Politician, economist, and former member of the M19 armed guerilla movement, Gustavo Petro became the first left-wing president in the recent history of Colombia. He has pledged to transform Colombia into a more equal society. Last year, he was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people.

Petro has managed complex affairs, achieving a more equitable tax code and re-establishing diplomatic and commercial ties with Venezuela, which were severed in 2019 over that country’s crackdown on democracy. He has also maintained good relations with Washington despite his efforts to overhaul Colombia’s long-running U.S.-backed anti-drug strategy, according to many analysts.

But what certainly has marked Petro’s governance so far are the several reforms he intends to pass in Congress before the end of his presidency. Many of these reforms have stalled in Congress, and he has faced fierce opposition from other branches of power. His most controversial reforms involve health care, pensions, and the labor code.

His ambitious agenda of “Total Peace” has faced complexities as dialogues with FARC, ELN, and dissident guerrilla groups have not been effective. Unfortunately, the current legislative climate is likely to continue working against the president’s interests for the remainder of his term.

So far, a weak coalition and low approval ratings have been constants during his mandate despite his victory as the first left-wing candidate to achieve presidency in Colombia, setting a precedent in the country.  

Even though his legacy is still to be proven and his agenda has still a long way to go, Petro has been extremely active in the diplomatic field. He has extended relations with Venezuela, encouraging communications with China, Africa, the European Union, and the United States. He also took an unprecedented stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict, ending diplomatic relations with Israel and publicly supporting Palestine.

Despite critics saying Petro only focuses on managing diplomacy through social media (mainly through his X account, some having dubbed this strategy ‘Twiplomacy’), Colombia has been involved in high-profile binational and multilateral encounters.

The big question now is whether Petro will be able to move forward with his agenda to deliver on his campaign promises. History will judge.