Colombia´s third way? How the left can save itself

Colombia´s favourite ex-guerrilla Antonio Navarro Wolff hopes to upset the applecart by taking on Colombia´s two political heavyweights, Ex-President Uribe and current President Juan Manuel Santos in next year´s elections.

Navarro Wolff is the name behind a new political movement – Pidimos la Palabra – that hopes to bring together the voices of the “centre” “centre-left” and “left” to present an alternative to the hyped polarization between the Uribe and Santos camps.

The former M19 leader has grown tired of the media´s obsession with the fight between the ex-president and his old defence minister, and believes, for the health of Colombian democracy, the voters need an non right, centre-right option on the ballot paper come 2014.

Señor Navarro Wolff has been quick to point out that he himself is not seeking election, either to congress or to the presidency (he is a failed presidential candidate), but instead has been working with sectors within the Green, and Progresistas parties. He wants to draw on those who supported Antanas Mockus – the surprise package in the 2010 Presidential Elections – as well as though on the left, drawn to the politics of Gustavo Petro. Navarro Wolff was Petro´s second in command early last year, before he left the Mayor of Bogotá´s ailing administration (if not under a cloud, then under less than happy circumstances).

The official opposition party in congress, the left-wing Polo Democratic Alternative have committed themselves to running their own presidential candidate, in the shape of Clara López. Many believe that Polo could end up with no parliamentary representation following the elections, and Wolff´s move to try to bring together the different strands of those on the left is seen as a way of preserving a non right, centre-right presence within the congress.

Word of the Pidimos la Palabra project was first heard in August last year, and following an initial meeting of leaders held in Medellín, all had gone relatively quiet. But in an interview with El Espectador newspaper on Sunday, Navarro Wolff hinted at an imminent announcement, suggesting the movement was ready to put forward names of key supporters and possible candidates.

Whether the ex M19 commander will be able to bring together enough of the left to make the movement viable remains to be seen.

Colombia Politics welcomes the prospect of a united centre / centre-left grouping.

The Polo appears to be on its last legs, and should it disappear in 2014 it is important voters have an option before them. Should Navarro Wolff´s “party” present a more centrist platform – more aligned to the Mockus project, rather than the Petro model –  that too would be a significant step in the right direction. Colombia needs a sensible, mature, social democratic left, not a romantic revolutionary left.

Will the softly spoken and popular former Nariño governer – himself an old firebrand – be able to drag the left kicking and screaming to the centre?