National Front (Colombia) - Decadence

Decadence

Despite the limitations for members of third political parties to participate in the electoral process or become public employees, they achieved these by allying themselves with members of the Liberal or Conservative Party seeking outside votes or those against the National Front. The most notable of these maverick parties was the Liberal Revolutionary Movement (MRL), led by Alfonso López Michelsen and supported by the Colombian Communist Party (CPC), and the National Popular Alliance (ANAPO), which was founded by Rojas Pinilla in 1961. The ANAPO gradually regained popular support and in 1962 gained 6 representatives and 2 senators through the Conservatives lists. In 1964 the ANAPO elected 26 representatives. By 1966 the ANAPO had elected representatives in both party lines and was seen as a threat to the National Front. In 1970 the ANAPO achieved a staggering 14% of the Liberal seats and 20% of the Conservative seats.

Limitations were greater for those seeking the presidency that were not part of the party up next for the presidential turn. However, this did not impede some non aligned candidates to run for the presidency despite being declared null or illegal but tried to surpass the needed majority vote established by the National Front. This was the case of Rojas Pinilla who achieved 50,000 votes (1.8%) in the elections of May 6, 1962, then in 1964 a third of the total votes, and in 1970 a suspected majority of the votes against the conservative candidate Misael Pastrana Borrero during the last National Front election on April 19, 1970.

Pastrana Borrero was declared winner despite the accusations of electoral fraud by members of the ANAPO. Some of its members joined the armed guerrillas as a way to force institutional changes. This was the case of the 19th of April Movement (M-19) guerrilla group. Another effect of the dubious election was the sense of a predetermined results. The largest abstention resulted in 1966 resulting with 55.5% of the vote the chamber of representatives and senate and 60.1% for the presidential election.