1986 Colombian presidential election

1986 Colombian presidential election

25 May 1986
 
Nominee Virgilio Barco Vargas Álvaro Gómez Hurtado
Party Liberal Conservative
Popular vote 4,214,510 2,588,050
Percentage 58.36% 35.84%

Winner by department

President before election

Belisario Betancur
Conservative

Elected President

Virgilio Barco Vargas
Liberal

Presidential elections were held in Colombia on 25 May 1986. The result was a victory for Virgilio Barco Vargas of the Liberal Party, who received 58% of the vote.

Barco Vargas' campaign promised land reform and economic revitalization, including jobs and housing for the poor. One of the issues in the campaign was the ongoing negotiations with Colombian guerilla groups.

The elections took place shortly after the March 1986 parliamentary elections, in which Barco Vargas' Liberal Party won a majority of seats.