SEMANA anticipates how the agreements for the House of Representatives were defined after July 20

Four days before the new Congress begins its legislative session alongside President Abelardo De La Espriella’s government, more than 35 compromise delegates have reached several political agreements defining the leadership structures of the Chamber of Representatives. These decisions were anticipated by SEMANA and confirmed with precision, outlining how key positions will be distributed over the four-year term. The Conservative Party has secured the presidency of the Chamber for the first year, with Nicolás Bargüil, a businessman specializing in marketing and international trade, emerging as the likely candidate. A relative of Senator-elect David Bargüil and hailing from Montería in Córdoba, Bargüil is positioned to lead the chamber during this initial phase. The first vice-presidency in the first year will go to the Peace Bloc or Citrep, while the general secretary position will be held by the Liberal Party for the entire term. Current Conservative Party secretary Jaime Luis Lacouture will step down from the Congress. The second vice-presidency could potentially fall under the control of the Historical Pact. Meanwhile, the administrative direction of the Chamber will remain with the United Party throughout the quadrennium, led by John Abiud Ramirez, currently serving as the Chamber’s administrative director. In the second year, the Chamber presidency will shift to the Liberal Party, while the first vice-presidency will be occupied by the Democratic Center. During the third legislative year, the presidency will be assumed by the Uribe faction, with Daniel Briceño, the most voted representative in March’s elections, vying internally for the position. Briceño was nearly chosen as Chamber president but lost his party’s backing, which instead supported the Senate presidency. The third year’s first vice-presidency will be held by the Liberal Party. In the fourth year, the presidency will be determined by the Change Radical Party, requiring negotiations with National Salvation and the Believe Party, led by Federico Gutiérrez. Although these agreements were established among the compromise delegates, the designated Minister of Interior, Rodrigo Lara, is set to hold meetings with political parties in the coming hours, possibly altering or solidifying the current scenario. In the Senate, the presidency will be claimed by Alfredo Deluque of the United Party, who currently enjoys support from his own party, the Conservatives, the Liberals, and Change Radical. This Wednesday at noon, the United Party will meet behind closed doors at the Bankers Club in Bogotá, where it is expected to officially align itself with the government in support of President De La Espriella. Such alignment would secure Deluque’s position as head of the Senate.