Alfredo Deluque Gains Liberal Backing for Colombia Senate Presidency

The Colombian Liberal Party officially endorsed Senator Alfredo Deluque (Party of the U) as its candidate for the presidency of the Senate in the upcoming legislative term 2026‑2027. The endorsement, approved by a unanimous internal vote of the party’s 13 senators, adds roughly 14 votes to Deluque’s coalition, which already includes the Democratic Party and other groups such as Alianza Verde, En Marcha and the Indigenous Authority of Colombia (AICO). The move aligns Deluque with President‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who has promoted his candidacy as part of the governing agenda.

Deluque, a lawyer from La Guajira with prior experience as President of the Chamber of Representatives, now seeks to secure a simple‑majority of at least 54 votes to be elected on 20 July 2026. His main rival is Honorio Henríquez of the Centro Democrático, which claims the right to the Senate presidency based on its 17 seats, the largest bloc in Congress. Political tension has risen, with public exchanges between the new Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara and the Centro Democrático, and commentary from former President Álvaro Uribe defending the opposition’s claim.

The Liberal backing is seen as a decisive shift toward the governing coalition, potentially shaping the Senate’s agenda on security, economic reforms and institutional changes during De la Espriella’s first year in office.