Unraveling of Two Party Dominance
Ending the National Front: Aftermath of 1970 Presidential
Election Misael Pastrana
narrow (fraudulent?)victory (1970) discredits the National Front
Need for a system-sustaining political party of the opposition
Conservatives & Liberals renege on their “deal” with ANAPO
Fear of ANAPO and populist left
Maria Eugenia Rojas runs in 1974 as ANAPO candidate
ANAPO infrastructure decimated
Rise of M-19
Liberals Prove their Majority Party Status
Alfonso López Michelsen (1974-78) wins with 56%
Liberals overwhelm ConservativesSenate 67-38Chamber of Deputies 113-66
“Adequate and equitable” participation maintained for Conservatives
Smashing of ISI Alfonso López Michelsen 1974 -1978
Slow turn to economic liberalization
Colombia joins GATT (1978)
Restrictions on banks reduced
Scandals in PrivatizationJulio Cesar Turbay (1978-82)
Increased inflationCorruption in privatization Divisions in Liberal party aggravated
Swearing in President Turbay
Return of the Conservatives (1982-86)
Belisario BetancurDirect elections of
mayors (mixed results) IMF adjustment
program Public expenditures
reducedNo new housing for
poorWage freeze
Unsuccessful negotiations with insurgents
Intensification of the insurgency
Three Liberal Presidents IVirgilio Barco (1986-90)
Abandoned bi-partisan cabinetContinued neoliberal reforms Intensification of narco-trafficker power
Alliance of traffickers with guerrillas Assassination of Liberal presidential candidate (Luis
Galán, founder of “New Liberal” movement
Three Liberal Presidents II Cesar Gaviria (1990-94)
New constitution (1991) Human rights Ecological concerns Participative civil society Decentralization
Enemies – apply the law; friends – give favorsErnesto Samper P. (1994-98)
Paralysis due to involvement with narco-traffickers
Andrés Pestrana (Conservative) Wins the 1998 Presidential Election
Liberals in disarrayPromises of
cooperation with the United States to control narco-traffkers
Ongoing insurgency Responds by
conceding control of large areas of country to insurgents
Alvaro Uribe Ends two Party Dominance of Colombian Politics -
2002
Conservativespolicy toward the
insurgency disastrous
Closed leadershipSmaller base of
party identifiers than Liberals
LiberalsClosed leadershipTies with narco-
traffickers undermine legitimacy
Economic policies fail to aid poor
Presidential Elections: 2006 Parties - Candidates Votes % Álvaro
Uribe Vélez - Colombia First (Primero Colombia) 7,363,421 62.20 Carlos Gaviria Díaz - Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Alternativo) 2,609,412 22.04 Horacio Serpa Uribe - Colombian Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Colombiano) 1,401,173 11.84 Antanas Mockus Sivickas - Indigenous Social Alliance Movement (Movimiento Alianza Social Indígena) 146,540 1.24 Enrique Parejo González - National Democratic Reconstruction (Reconstrucción Democrática Nacional) 44,610 0.38 Álvaro Leyva Durán - National Movement for Reconciliation (Movimiento Nacional de Reconciliación) 22,039 0.19 Carlos Arturo Rincón Barreto - Colombian Community and Communal Political Movement (Movimiento Politico Comunal y Comunidad Colombiano) 20,477 0.17
Total votes for candidates 11,607,672 98.05
Uribe Reelected