The latest on the House Speaker election: "La U" joins the government and supports Julián López.

In the intense dispute over the House of Representatives speakership between Julián López (Partido de la U), Leonardo Rico (Cambio Radical), Jorge Eliécer Tamayo (La U), and Wilmer Carrillo (La U), the government has already signaled its support for its candidate. The central point of the conflict is the potential breach of the political agreements previously established for this position.

Gustavo Petro's government is seeking to support candidate López, despite a prior agreement that would grant this position to the Cambio Radical party. This decision has generated discontent among Cambio Radical, the conservatives, and even some members of the Historic Pact. The latter argue that if "La U" assumes the presidency, it would violate the agreement.

After several internal debates, this Saturday, the U Party announced, in a statement, its House caucus' decision to nominate López as its official candidate.

"We are addressing the public to inform you that, in its session of July 19, 2025, the House of Representatives Caucus made, by majority vote, the decision to nominate the Honorable Representative Julián David López Tenorio as the Party's official candidate for President of the House of Representatives for the 2025-2026 constitutional term. We appreciate your attention," the letter states.

According to the established agreements, the presidency of the House of Representatives would go to Cambio Radical. However, this party lacks the necessary majorities, which has led to the emergence of several more viable candidates. According to a report by the firm Orza released this Friday, López remains the candidate with the best chances, given his relative distance from his party's leadership and his affinity with sectors of the government.

"The House speakership is more open to political gamesmanship, and its outcome could tip the balance in favor of the government in key discussions during the term," the firm's report states.

There is an expectation that this situation could, in some cases, lead to non-compliance with other agreements for the final legislative year , including the presidencies of the First Commission and the Commission of Accusations, which correspond to the Historic Pact.

The Democratic Center's House bloc will support Néstor Leonardo Rico of Cambio Radical for the presidency of the corporation this Sunday, July 20, the party announced in a statement on Saturday.

"Although our party has declared itself in opposition to President Petro's government and therefore is not a party to the agreements reached on boards of directors by all the other parties, we categorically reject the way the government has interfered in decisions that are the exclusive responsibility of our party, pressuring and enticing members of Congress to renege on the commitments they had made," the group stated.

For its part, Cambio Radical officially announced Rico's aspiration to become president of the corporation early Friday. In a statement, the political movement took the opportunity to call for respect for previously established agreements.

"The Senate and House factions reiterate that this party has always been characterized by its seriousness and adherence to its promises, and that it will continue to act with the same determination. We hope the other parties will behave in the same manner. We are a serious party that keeps its promises. We have never considered breaking agreements, and we expect the same commitment from all political forces in the House," reads the Cambio Radical statement.

Projections for the composition of Congress' governing boards for the 2025-2026 legislative period indicate partial fulfillment of the 2022 political agreements regarding the distribution of committee presidencies.

In the Senate, according to Orza's report, some committees are expected to maintain their agreed-upon terms, such as the Fourth and Fifth, which would remain under the leadership of opposition and independent groups. However, other committees show signs of tension. The Second and Third, originally assigned to the governing bloc and with their respective candidates, could be contested by opposition sectors. "Added to this are the risks in the Seventh, where independent actors and alternative majorities would seek to oust the groups with priority, in this case the government, weakening the commitments made," the firm emphasizes.

The House of Representatives presents a more fragmented landscape and a greater degree of misalignment with respect to the original agreement. While some committees would maintain their agreed-upon positions, such as the First (which would remain in the hands of the government) and the Sixth (projected for a peace seat), others deviate significantly from the planned design. According to Orza's document, in the Second and Fifth Committees, the presidencies could be assumed by parties other than those that held the presidency for this period, which would constitute explicit breaches of the agreement, despite Erick Velasco being the leading candidate. In the economic committees, moreover, the agreement provides for a concentration in a single party. The Seventh Committee also faces a dispute between parties aligned with the government.