Federico Gutierrez Swept Medellin Election to Be Mayor for Third Time

Federico Gutierrez has emerged victorious in the Medellin elections, securing over 73% of the votes and a resounding win in the capital of Antioquia. In second place stands the continuity candidate, Juan Carlos Upegui, with a mere 10% of the votes. Upegui’s defeat also marks a setback for the former mayor, Daniel Quintero, who resigned from office to endorse Upegui.

The outcome came as no surprise, as all pre-election polls consistently predicted a clear victory for Gutiérrez, with little chance for his competitors.

With this triumph, the mayor-elect returns to lead the country’s second-largest city, a role he previously held from 2016 to 2020, just before Daniel Quintero. Gutierrez is a seasoned figure in Antioquia’s political landscape, with nearly two decades of involvement in the municipality, having previously served as a council member and council president in Medellín fifteen years ago.

Uribism Resumes Its Dominance

Medellin has always maintained a conservative profile, serving as the starting point for the political career of the conservative former president, Alvaro Uribe, who once held the position of the city’s mayor.

With this victory, Uribism reclaims its traditional stronghold, which had temporarily shifted into the hands of an independent figure, Daniel Quintero. Quintero later aligned himself with the country’s president, Gustavo Petro, who has a leftist political orientation.

The election in the capital of Antioquia did not witness a fierce contest. Gutiérrez, who previously defeated Gustavo Petro in Medellin during the 2022 presidential elections, has now brought the mayoralty back under the banner of the Colombian right, which currently serves as the opposition in national politics.