Colombia´s President Juan Manuel Santos today confirms the worst kept secret his intention to run for re-election in 2014. In a surprise press conference Friday, Santos announced the resignation of the Housing Minister German Vargas Lleras who will now move to head up the think tank fundación Buen Gobierno from which the Santista campaign will be run.

The Buen Gobierno fundation was the war room from which Santos ran his campaign for the Casa de Nariño in 2010 and will once again be the focus of the efforts to extend the politics of the regime to 2018.

Santos announces that Vargas Lleras has left to “defend the government and our administration. It´s an act of loyalty for which I´m thankful”.

Vargas Lleras, the “star minister” of the Santos cabinet will now decamp to the offices of the Buen Gobierno foundation in the posh barrio El Nogal, in the north of the capital, Bogotá. There he will lead a team alongside loyal Santos aide, Juan Mesa. The re-election campaign top brass will also include Gabriel Silva, former Colombian ambassador in the USA and the high-profile retired general Oscar Naranjo.

In a classic Santos move, one that allows a degree of wriggle room, the president claimed he would be fighting for the “re-election of our politics”. Claiming his campaign is for a continuation of the “politics of peace”.

In other words, Santos keeps alive the possibility that while he wants Santism to continue beyond 2014, he himself need not necessarily  run.

German Vargas Lleras move to leave the government means he is free to aspire in 2014 either for the senate or for the presidency. So while it seems almost certain that Santos will run, the famously chess-loving president is “keeping his options open”.  Santos has until November to confirm confirm his intentions.

Plan B, should Santos´ popularity continue to fall – Vargas Lleras for president. Politics, Santos style.

Developing story…more later…