The political discourse of the colombian left on the difficulties of its access to governmental power (1991-2021)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the discourse produced by a part of the elites that represent the Colombian political left in relation to the difficulties that have hampered progressivism in accessing government power. Based on nine in-depth interviews with personalities such as Ernesto Samper, Angelino Garzón, Antonio Navarro Wolff, Clara López, Piedad Córdoba or ‘Timochenko’, the work identifies and problematizes three specific factors, which are mostly shared by all those interviewed: 1 ) the ontological weakness of the promising constitutional order of 1991; 2) the scope and impact of the armed conflict and, finally, 3) particular aspects of the Colombian political system such as the roots of patronage networks or the deep conservative political culture, among others. Despite the above, it is recognized that the Peace Agreement signed in 2016 with the FARC-EP frees up space for the left. An aspect that would seem to explain a large part of the transformation experienced in recent years and in which the Colombian left is increasingly stronger as an alternative government.