Colombian Senator Iván Cepeda, from the left-wing ruling coalition 'Historical Pact', registered his candidacy for President on Wednesday and stated that he aims to win the election in the first round, scheduled for May 31. 'We are going for the dispute for the Presidency of the Republic (…) with a campaign that is getting stronger, more solid, and closer to achieving a victory, as we will achieve it, in the first round on May 31,' Cepeda expressed, who leads the polls after registering his candidacy with the National Registry, the body that organizes elections. The candidate, who apologized for arriving six hours late to the registration event, was accompanied by Nasa indigenous leader and Senator Aída Quilcué, who is his running mate for Vice President, and other leaders of the Historical Pact. Last Sunday, the party became the most voted political force in the Senate by winning 25 of the 103 seats, while in the Chamber of Representatives, composed of 183 seats, it appears it will have 40 seats. 'We are the most beloved and supported political force by Colombians today. They expressed it in the electoral mobilization of last Sunday, that is how I have felt throughout my electoral campaign across the country,' Cepeda reclaimed, who has been a senator since 2014 and was a representative to the Chamber between 2010 and 2014. The candidate, who was expected to participate last Sunday in the left-wing presidential primary called 'Front for Life,' was excluded weeks before by a decision of the National Electoral Council (CNE), which argued that he had already participated in a similar primary last October. The winner of the left-wing primary was former Senator Roy Barreras, who in the first round will try to snatch the votes and leadership that Cepeda currently has from the polls. However, Cepeda insisted that the Historical Pact, of which Colombian President Gustavo Petro is also a part, 'stands as the main political force' in the country after the legislative elections on Sunday and that is why he seeks victory in the first round. Quilcué's Election The left-wing candidate defended the choice of Quilcué as his running mate, arguing that she represents 'the great culture, the ethical principles, and the heritage of struggle' of indigenous peoples. 'I am part of a people, one of its children, and today I am a servant of the people (…) I am a defender of the principle that has been instilled in us precisely by the original peoples: one must rule by obeying,' the candidate added. Quilcué, for her part, stated that she will continue to work 'for life and for peace,' 'for dialogue with others.' 'We will continue to work for the transformations, but also in this Government we have spoken with the next president Iván Cepeda: our banner is going to be to root out corruption from the institutions,' added the senator.
