There is expectation surrounding the holding of the presidential consultation of the Historic Pact, after the decision of the National Electoral Council (CNE) that indicates that the party could not use its logo on the ballots for the October 26 consultation, so it is an interparty consultation.
Following this news, Daniel Quintero announced his withdrawal, stating that there is a legal risk in confirming that it will be inter-party."The CNE killed the consultation of the Historic Pact by converting it, against our will, into an inter-party consultation to prevent us from participating in the consultation of the broad front. We are not going to fall into the trap. For this reason, I have requested my withdrawal," said Quintero after the decision of the electoral court.
What the former mayor of Medellín is referring to is that if he participates on October 26, he will not be able to participate in the Frente Amplio referendum in March."If the referendum is interpreted as the selection of a presidential candidate, the result would be binding according to Article 7 of Law 1475 of 2011. In this case, the winner could not participate in another interparty referendum, because that would constitute dual membership or failure to comply with a binding popular decision," the statement in question states.
Although Quintero asserted that the referendum was turned into an interparty referendum"against" his wishes, it was known to be one of the options following the Bogotá Superior Court's decision revoking the precautionary measures granted to the Historic Pact to accept the immediate merger as a single left-wing party.
In contrast, former Health Minister Carolina Corcho announced that she remains firm in her participation in the October 26 referendum."We expect the electoral authority to do its part. Reprint the ballot with the clarity that this is a referendum that selects a presidential candidate, who will participate in a new referendum in March to select a candidate from the broad front that will go to the first round," she began by asserting.
He added:"Let the State assume proper custody of the ballots, and allow the three pre-candidates to register electoral witnesses fairly and with equal guarantees. We hope our colleague Daniel Quintero returns to continue his participation."
The pre-candidate urged the other registered voters to speak out and ask Registrar Penagos to correct the ballot so that "the consultation can go ahead."
Iván Cepeda will most likely make a decision in the coming hours to continue or withdraw from the referendum. The truth is that if there is no referendum to choose the leftist party's presidential candidate, the Senate and Chamber lists will remain in place.
What are the consequences?
And withdrawing from the consultation and not holding it has its consequences. The parties participating in the Pact would have to pay back the money already invested by the Registry, which would amount to more than 100 billion pesos.
The entity led by Hernán Penagos has already printed the ballots with the three pre-candidates, so not using it or reprinting it could lead to a loss of assets of 200 billion pesos.
Before Quintero decided to withdraw from the referendum, he, along with Corcho and Cepeda, had requested that around 39 million ballots be reprinted.
"Several laws, including 1475 of 2011, establish that if a candidate withdraws after a referendum is underway, they must 'proportionately reimburse the expenses incurred by the electoral organization,'" said analyst Carlos Arias regarding the consequences of withdrawing.
“An electoral ballot was designed on which we approved the three photographs, but not the title of the ballot that calls for choosing a presidential candidate in the consultation. This wording misleads the electorate who participate in the consultation on October 26, who would not be voting in the terms decided above for a pre-consultation to participate in another consultation on March 8 of the Broad Front, but rather defining a direct participation in the presidential election on May 31, 2026,” the candidates indicated in the document.
The pre-candidates Carolina Corcho, Iván Cepeda and Daniel Quintero insist that the presidential consultation on October 26 is internal and not inter-party.
"Today, the legal status of the Historic Pact is fully in force. The ballot must reflect our willingness to participate in a partisan referendum on October 26 and an interparty referendum in March. We communicated this clearly, and the Registry Office is aware of it," Corcho stated.
