![\"Paloma](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Paloma-Valencia-Juan-Daniel-Oviedo-credit-Paloma-Valencia-press-1024x687.jpg\")
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The potential appointment of Uribe as defense minister sparked a controversy between Paloma Valencia and her running mate, Oviedo. Credit: @PalomaValenciaL \/ X.com<\/p>\n
The proposal to appoint former President Alvaro Uribe as a potential Minister of Defense sparked a public rift within the presidential ticket of Senator Paloma Valencia\u2019s candidacy with running mate Juan Daniel Oviedo, which is backed by the Democratic Center and other right-wing parties.<\/p>\n
Candidate Valencia put forward the idea as a signal of authority and continuity in security matters, aligned with the policies of the now-former president\u2019s administrations (2002\u20132010). Still, her vice-presidential running mate, Juan Daniel Oviedo, openly challenged it, creating distance that exposed possible internal tensions in the middle of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Valencia\u2019s response was swift and as direct as the disagreement: \u201cI am the president.\u201d With that phrase, the senator made it clear that, if she wins the election, key government decisions will be made according to her judgment, even in relation to her own running mate.<\/p>\n
Far from remaining a minor difference, the episode has sparked a debate about leadership, political cohesion, and the weight of uribismo in a potential administration, and highlights the differences between the Democratic Center<\/a> representative and the former center-right candidate, Oviedo, now the vice-presidential running mate for this ticket.<\/p>\n Colombian elections: Valencia and Oviedo publicly disagree over Uribe<\/p>\n Paloma Valencia\u2019s announcement about her possible cabinet generated debate, even within her own ranks, by including the name of former President Alvaro Uribe as a potential Minister of Defense. Asked by the press, Juan Daniel Oviedo<\/a>, who is running for vice president on Valencia\u2019s ticket, publicly expressed his disagreement with the announcement.<\/p>\n Oviedo\u2019s stance drew a forceful response from Valencia, who stated that \u201cI am the president. I will be the one appointing ministers. And the country should get used to that.\u201d The conservative candidate added that \u201cwe will have uribista ministers and we will have centrist ministers. And we will have ministers who are competent, because what we need here is to solve Colombians\u2019 problems.\u201d<\/p>\n This situation has revealed the challenges of building an alliance between Colombia<\/a>\u2019s traditional right\u2014represented by Paloma Valencia\u2014and a center-right that, at one point, was embodied for many citizens by Juan Daniel Oviedo<\/a>. <\/p>\n In an effort to distance herself from the other right-wing candidate, independent lawyer Abelardo De la Espriella \u2014 who has expressed clear positions and statements aligned with an extremist discourse \u2014 Valencia sought through her alliance with Oviedo a much more centrist profile, which has not always been easy to reconcile.<\/p>\n Juan Daniel Oviedo\u2019s remarks during an interview with the local outlet Blu Radio left no doubt about his position. Asked about the possible appointment of Alvaro Uribe as head of the Defense Ministry, the politician was clear: \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s the right message, and I told her that last night, but she must be respected; that\u2019s why we know we are different, and I\u2019m not going to change her,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n At the same time, the vice-presidential candidate stressed that \u201cwe have to understand one thing: we are in a political campaign. There are strategies and messages that are delivered from a strategic standpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n En un pa\u00eds tiene que caber todo el mundo, aqu\u00ed no aceptamos vetos para nadie. El que sea bueno como el expresidente Uribe en materia de seguridad ojal\u00e1 se anime a ser ministro. Y ojal\u00e1 tambi\u00e9n haya muchos ministros de centro y que venga gente de la izquierda con compromiso\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/rKmxGTcrvy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Paloma Valencia L (@PalomaValenciaL) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n A proposal that reopens the debate over Uribismo<\/p>\n The idea that Alvaro Uribe could return to power, this time as Minister of Defense, carries not only symbolic weight but also political significance. Despite finishing his two terms with an approval rating<\/a> above 75%, his figure is now far more controversial in Colombia and generates as much admiration as rejection.<\/p>\n For Valencia, the decision represents a bet on strengthening security at a time when the country faces challenges in public order and the presence of armed groups. Her proposal resonates with a segment of the electorate that continues to view the former president as a figure of authority in the face of violence.<\/p>\n However, the proposal also raises questions about the concentration of power and the role a former president should play in a subsequent administration. For critical sectors, the potential appointment of Uribe to that position could be interpreted as a direct extension of his influence, which could generate resistance both from the opposition and from independent sectors.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, candidate Valencia was emphatic and quickly shut down any internal questioning about her potential government. With the phrase \u201cI am the president,\u201d she was not only responding to Oviedo but also seeking to reaffirm her authority as the head of the ticket. At its core, the message aims to make clear who would have the final say if her candidacy wins the election.<\/p>\n Beyond the tone, the response also revealed a classic tension in presidential tickets: The balance between the autonomy of the main candidate and the role of the vice president as a figure with an independent voice.<\/p>\n What is clear is that this episode comes at a key moment in the presidential race<\/a>, when candidates are seeking to consolidate support and project cohesion, and especially when polls point to a technical tie between the two right-wing candidacies aiming to compete with the ruling party in the June runoff.<\/p>\n