Jorge Alejandro Ocampo Giraldo, born in 1980 in Cali, Valle del Cauca, has emerged as a prominent figure within Colombia’s political landscape. As a senator representing the Pacto Histórico coalition, he serves on the Third Commission for the period 2026–2030. His career began with the Polo Democrático party, which he joined from its inception. Over the years, Ocampo has maintained close ties with Alexander López Maya, who served as president of the Polo until March 2024. Ocampo's political journey started in 2010 when he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives but received just over 7,000 votes. The following year, he sought a position on the Cali City Council but again failed to secure a spot. In 2015, he competed for the Polo’s nomination for the governorship of Valle del Cauca against former senator Mauricio Ospina, brother of ex-mayor Jorge Iván Ospina. With support from Clara López, Ocampo was selected as the candidate but finished fifth in the election with nearly 61,000 votes. In 2017, Ocampo led a campaign to recall Cali mayor Maurice Armitage, gathering more than 100,000 signatures. This effort helped him run for the Senate in 2018, though he received only 2,000 votes. Despite these early setbacks, his involvement in the national strike of 2021 marked a turning point in his political trajectory. In 2022, Ocampo entered the race for the House of Representatives under the closed list of the Pacto Histórico. He had previously opposed the decision of then-presidential candidate Gustavo Petro to place José Alberto Tejada at the top of the list. Although Ocampo ended up fourth on the list, he secured a seat due to the coalition's 370,000 votes in the Valle region. As a member of the Chamber of Representatives, Ocampo became a staunch supporter of the Petro government. He participated in the Commission of Accusations, where the former president faces ongoing investigations into alleged illegal campaign financing. Known for his aggressive defense of the government, Ocampo frequently engaged in heated debates with opposition members, particularly from the Centro Democrático faction. He also strongly advocated for social reforms implemented by the Petro administration. Ocampo played a key role in negotiations with criminal groups such as Los Shottas and Los Espartanos in Buenaventura. However, in March 2024, Los Espartanos announced they would withdraw from peace talks citing the lack of a legal framework supporting their participation. His alignment with the government did not always win him support, especially during his bid for the presidency of the Chamber in the final year of the legislature. Nonetheless, his stance earned him backing from grassroots supporters during a Senate consultation. Wilson Neber Arias Castillo, another influential figure in Colombian politics, was born in 1962 in Cali. He assumed the role of senator in 2018 after replacing Leonidas Gómez, serving under the Polo Democrático Alternativo. Arias continued his tenure in 2022 as the 15th senator in the Pacto Histórico list and was part of the Seventh Commission of the Senate. Trained as a technical operator through the National Service for Apprenticeship (Sena), Arias has long been associated with leftist causes. Coming from a family with deep roots in the left, Arias grew up in the La Independencia neighborhood of Cali. His maternal grandfather was a peasant leader instrumental in founding the Communist Party in the Valle del Cauca during the 1950s. Several of his siblings were active in leftist movements, including the M-19, ¡Firmes! and ¡A luchar!. Arias has held multiple political positions, starting as a city council member in 2007 before moving to the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2014. During this time, he gained national recognition for investigating land accumulation by agro-industrial companies, leading to the resignation of ambassador Carlos Urrutia. He later supported the opposition against the administration of mayor Alejandro Eder in Cali. Despite his political achievements, Arias faced legal challenges. In 2024, the Centro Democrático party filed a criminal complaint against him with the Supreme Court, accusing him of five alleged offenses, including incitement to commit crimes, sedition, and military hostility. These charges followed a speech he gave in Cali addressing organizations aligned with the Pacto Histórico. In 2023, the Office of the Attorney General charged Arias with defamation for comments made about police conduct during a roadblock in Sameco in 2021. Earlier, in 2018, he was sanctioned by the Cali City Hall for irregular advertising practices. Both Ocampo and Arias have played pivotal roles in shaping legislative agendas and policy discussions in Colombia. Their careers reflect the complex dynamics of political alliances and ideological stances within the country’s evolving political scene.
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