“They can call me Fico or Federico, maybe people will vote for us”: Gutiérrez, after CNE ruling

After the National Electoral Council (CNE) decided that Federico Gutiérrez should appear under his real name, and not with his nickname, Fico, on the card presidential, the candidate assured that he does not care what they call him, because he is certain that Colombians will vote for him.

“They can call me Fico, Federico, whatever they want, maybe people will vote for us,” said the presidential candidate of the center-right coalition Team for Colombia, who took the opportunity to appeal to his potential voters.

Likewise, the former mayor of Medellín assured that his followers have already identified him on the card they will deposit at the polls next May 29. “The important thing is that we are there. We're gonna be on the card. People will already place us very well and they will vote for us, I am sure of that,” Gutiérrez added.

It should be noted that, although the CNE prohibited the candidate's nickname from appearing under his photo, it did give him the green light to use the 'Fico' in the slogan or logo that identifies him on the presidential card.

“Once the rigorous verifications have been carried out, it can be seen that the logo symbol of the coalition called Equipo por Colombia meets the requirements required to ensure its registration,” explained the electoral authority.

It should not be forgotten that on April 6, the CNE authorized the addition of the word “Fico” to be added to the logo of Equipo por Colombia in white capital letters and with a vinotinto background. The decision was made through resolution 1782 of 2022.

The community requested the change on April 4, to put the symbol with the name of the centre-right coalition along with the pseudonym.

Article 124 of the Colombian Electoral Code is cited in the new CNE document issued this Monday, April 7, which is given in response to a request made by the same National Civil Registry Office. It states that in the presidential elections “citizens will vote with electoral cards that will have the symbols, emblems and colors of the different parties printed, with clear printing of the name and surnames of the respective candidate.”

He added that the Registrar must “abide by the provisions of the aforementioned regulations, by virtue of which it is responsible for the organization of elections, as provided for in article 120 of the Constitution”. In this way, the entity will have to leave Federico Gutiérrez's name on the electoral card. So far, the candidate has not commented on the decision.

Other CNE clarifications warn that “in the election for President of the Republic, citizens will vote with electoral cards that will be printed with the symbols, emblems and colors of the different political parties or movements participating in the votes, with clear printing of the name and surnames of the respective respective candidate”.

It should not be forgotten that, within the applications of the Registrar's Office to the CNE, it was requested to define: “Bearing in mind that the same political groups in contention requested the name (names and surnames) with which the candidates for president and vice-president of the Republic will be identified on the voting instrument Is it possible for candidates to be identified with a nickname, nickname or pseudonym under which citizens recognize them?” , the entity asked a few weeks ago, doubts that were answered in the last few hours.

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