The new president of the Conservative Departmental Board of Huila, Esperanza Andrade, sets her roadmap. She recognizes the electoral setbacks, but announces a “strong and pluralist” Chamber list for 2026. She also says that one of her tasks is to ensure that her brother, Hernán, remains in conservatism.
Jesus Antonio Rojas Serrano
Former senator Esperanza Andrade Serrano is now in charge of the Conservative Departmental Directorate of Huila. She announces, among other things, that conservatism will have a “strong and pluralistic” House of Representatives list for the 2026 legislative elections.
What does it mean to have assumed the management of the Conservative Party in Huila?
It is a very nice challenge that I thank the Departmental Board of Directors for their generosity and trust. The purpose is to work in a unified manner with the different aspects, with the leadership and the conservative bases; with those who for some reason have isolated themselves. With them we will seek to reap triumphs in the challenges to come, not only electoral ones. We are going to work for a Party that serves all Huilenses. I assume because I see that there are many valuable actions to be carried out, the same ones that I will carry out with pride and judgment. We are at a critical moment in the nation and our ideology is what must be applied today: order, authority, discipline, security, rescuing principles and values and prioritizing family.
What is the x-ray of Huila conservatism today?
It is true that conservatism has suffered some electoral setbacks, like several of the other traditional parties, for various reasons, some of its own and others unrelated. But, they are not great defeats as they try to show from other shores. We are aware of the mistakes made and working to correct the failures, calling on all forces and sectors to chart a new course of recovery, for that we are going to visit all the municipalities, soon, and we will knock on the door of each of the bases. Huilense conservatism is alive and counting.
Is conservatism only one? Does Conservative Integration still exist?
Conservatism is only one, with different aspects, as in every democracy. There is pluralism. But, that does not mean that we cannot call them to work for the unity of the Party. Huila deserves to be governed, directed, by conservative ideas. Jesús, Integración is a political movement with an extensive history, which has produced important leaders, and has served the department and its people a lot. Because of the respect and affection that I have for them, I do not want to comment on it.
How do conservatives look at 2026?
With great enthusiasm, hope and faith. We are already working to organize ourselves and present the best proposals to the people of Huila led by big names, with experience, young people and women.
Remembering the 2022 legislative elections in which Huila conservatism lost its positions in the Chamber and Senate, how do you plan to recover them?
With work, with ideas. Reviewing what we did wrong, where we were wrong, how we are going to correct it. Opening the doors to everyone, expanding the possibilities, practicing conservatism, adding to the leadership that is there and those that have left. Conquering our bases again, the young people, the women. And presenting the best proposals.
Is there anyone with whom to put together a good list for the Chamber? Do you know if Jaime Felipe Lozada will aspire again? Does Sandra Hernández feel like it?
In the party there are many names with experience and ability who want to aspire. Also new, young people, for whom we will open spaces. Everyone is in the analysis of the scenario and the possibilities. Remember, Jesus, that President Petro’s comments about a Constituent Assembly distract, affect, any intention to launch so far in advance. What I can guarantee you is that we are going to have a strong, united, pluralistic list that combines experience and youth, with spaces for women. Jaime Felipe Lozada and Sandra Hernández have not yet made their aspiration to the Chamber official, it is too early for this, but they are valuable leaders of the party.
Will your brother, Hernán, run for the Senate for the Conservative Party?
Hernán Andrade is an intelligent, capable, responsible person. The party, the Huilenses and Colombians have recognized him and that is why they have rewarded him by leading him to occupy very important dignities. With him we have been harmonizing the possibility of returning to the Senate, analyzing the various scenarios. The truth is that he is excited, he wants to. He has several spaces to aspire to, they have tempted him, but one of my tasks is for him to remain in the Party because he is a person, a leader, with great importance and power of convocation that serves us a lot.
In general, how do you see the country voting in 2026? Will the moment of the left and Petrism pass?
President Petro has done his job poorly. He has wasted the opportunity for constructive change by dividing the country, by his radicalism. Today, he does not have popular support, in the last opinion poll that we know of from the firm Guarumo – Eco Analítico, 61.9% of the people surveyed disapproved of his management and 38.1% affirmed that they approved it, which implies that people are dissatisfied, worried , regretful of having supported him due to the cost of living and insecurity. For the foolish reforms. The collection bill will arrive at the polls, as was already anticipated in the last territorial elections.
What do you still think of President Petro and his government?
That it is doing badly in almost all areas: health in crisis, housing in the ground, coffee growers affected, businessmen in uncertainty, large companies closing in Colombia, budget execution stopped, dissociative, harmful social reforms; corruption scandals on a daily basis from the government and his family. Bad, it’s going bad, very bad.
At what point did security get out of the hands of the Petro Government?
Since the so-called ‘total peace’ was invented and negotiating without demands or an agenda with different armed, criminal and drug trafficking groups. The perception of insecurity in the country has increased significantly compared to previous years. Until now, the result has been an increase in violence by armed groups that exercise enormous power and we see a soft hand on the part of the government, a lack of authority and command, but also armed forces unable to maneuver, tied up, decimated, what happens is very serious. Extortion in Colombia increased 7.9% compared to 2022. The latest survey on Coexistence and Citizen Security carried out by Dane recorded an increase in the perception of insecurity in the national territory, since by 2022 the figure reached 52.9%, while in 2021 the figure was 44%. They have not yet released figures for 2023.
Do you agree that the peace talks with the FARC dissidents should have limits and deadlines?
Look, Jesus, it is not possible to talk about peace without having clear guidelines regarding security, even more so in a country with levels of violence like Colombia. Therefore, it is very important to provide a real vision of the security needs and difficulties in the regions. The authorities, the public force, have the duty and the constitutional right to act and whether limits and times should be set.
In your opinion, where is the country’s economy going?
By no means are the numbers bad in almost all sectors. I’m not saying it, analysts say it and statistics show it. The economy as of December 2023 closed with a 49.7% drop in social housing sales, 8.6% manufacturing industry, 24.3% Colcap index stock market, 6.2% retail trade, 13.6% exports, 46.5% Ecopetrol net profit, 4.7% foreign investment, 24% national private investment.
What do you think of President Petro’s harsh and frontal tone against his opponents?
What he seeks is to distract, to try to escape from the scandals, to launch balloons that shield his bad government. And he wants to keep tensions as high as possible between the national government and the opposition, who for months have been facing each other in a climate of constant confrontation. It is understood, then, that there is no government will to agree on solutions to the problems that plague the country. But he makes a mistake by trying to look close to the crowd; What he is, is isolated from his ministers, government team and the people. Furthermore, his arrogance seems immensely irresponsible to me because it disqualifies more than half of Colombia that today does not share what the President proposes.
Will we see more marches and countermarches?
Many more. The presidential political campaign will no longer be in the media, nor in the public square, nor in debates, it will move to the streets, to the mobilizations. That will be the scene of the confrontation where each of the parties will seek to show their convening power. The mobilization has allowed the currents of the center and the center-right, different social sectors to converge towards a common cause: opposition to the government. Of course, with the risk that they become landscapes and people no longer want to go out.
Finally, I cannot pass the opportunity without asking you about the governments of Casagua and Villalba, how have you seen them?
I must say that we must give them a period of waiting, especially the mayor of Neiva, who received an administration devastated by the mismanagement of the previous mayor Gorky Muñoz Calderón, with a treasury deficit of more than 2.6 billion pesos, a high bureaucracy and collection accounts overdue since May of the previous year, so he must recover the finances of the municipality and to this add Jesús, the issue of security of the municipality, where both he and his Government Secretary José Ferney Ducuara, work day and night. night to recover the lost tranquility. As for Governor Rodrigo Villalba, we must also give him a period of waiting; The start has not been easy, among other circumstances due to lack of coordination between the national government and the regions, but I am confident that due to the experience, maturity and execution of Dr. Villalba, the quality of life of the people of Huila will improve.
