Jorge Enrique Robledo Castillo (born 11 February 1950) is a Colombian politician, architect, professor, and author.[1] He served as a member of the Senate of Colombia from 2002 until 2022, when he decided to leave his position in congress to pursue the office of president of Colombia,[2] ultimately losing to Gustavo Petro. On 21 June 2023, Robledo announced that he was running for mayor of Bogotá in the October 2023 elections.[3][needs update]
Jorge Robledo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator of Colombia | |
| In office 20 July 2002 – July 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 11, 1950 Ibagué, Tolima Colombia |
| Political party | Alternative Democratic Pole |
| Alma mater | University of Los Andes |
| Profession | Architect Politician Lecturer |
Early life and education
Robledo was born 11 February 1950 in Ibagué, Tolima, Colombia. His family later moved to Manizales, Colombia where Robledo spent the rest of his childhood and later attended the Universidad de Los Andes to study architecture.[1]
Political career
Robledo is a member of the Dignidad [es] political party. He was formerly[when?] a member of the Alternative Democratic Pole and was the Senate Leader for the party in congress. In his 4th term in office, Robledo received the highest vote of all Senators in the 2014 parliamentary elections (191,910 votes).[4]
In October 2016, Robledo announced that he would run for president in 2018.[5] He will be a candidate in the 2022 Presidential primary elections held by the Center Hope Coalition, vying to represent the Coalition in the first round of the Colombian Presidential general election.[citation needed]
Policies
Senator Robledo is known for his economic nationalist policies and his persistent criticism of neoliberalism and the dependency on foreign investment as the main economic driver of economic growth. He has also focused heavily on national sovereignty, industrialization, workers' rights, and the improvement of healthcare. Robledo maintains strong relations with Colombia's agricultural interest groups. He is a critic of Colombia's free trade deals with respect to food security and agricultural production.[6]