At a PL convention at the weekend the party elected its youngest leader in history, Simón Gaviria, 31, the current president of the lower chamber of congress, who promised “profound Santismo” in his quest to bring the party right to the heart of government. Its influence can be seen in a number of government initiatives, including the flagship victims and land restitution law, which was criticised by Uribe.
It was no accident that the main issue at the PL convention was the party’s reunification. Simón Gaviria said the party had “open doors for any prodigal son who wanted to return”. Gaviria, like Santos (and, notably, unlike Uribe) is the scion of an important political dynasty: his father is former president César Gaviria (1990-1994), who had controlled the rump of the PL during the wilderness years after Uribe (and Santos) left its ranks.
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