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