Imelda Daza

Imelda Daza Cotes (born 17 March 1948) is a Colombian-Swedish economist, teacher, and politician.

She has participated in left-wing political movements in both Colombia and Sweden. In 1986, she was elected councilor for the Patriotic Union (UP), but had to go into exile due to death threats. She returned to Colombia in June 2015 to present herself as a candidate for the governorship of Cesar Department. In October 2016, she was appointed as a spokesperson in the Chamber of Representatives on behalf of Voices of Peace and Reconciliation, which accompanied the implementation of the peace agreement. The online newspaper included her in its list of 50 key figures for the success of the post-conflict period.

On 1 November 2017, she was chosen to be Rodrigo Londoño's vice-presidential running mate, representing Commons, the political successor of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

She was elected to the Colombian Senate for Commons in the 2022 parliamentary election.

Early life and entry into politics Imelda Daza Cotes was born in Valledupar, Cesar Department on 17 March 1948. She earned a degree in economics from the National University of Colombia. Together with other professors and students, she promoted the creation of the Popular University of Cesar in 1973. Motivated by the speeches of Luis Carlos Galán, she became the first woman president of the Valledupar city council in 1983, commissioned by liberals and conservatives. Along with a group which included Ricardo Palmera Pineda, she formed a popular civic movement called Common Cause, which would later join the UP. On 25 May 1986, as a member of the UP, she was elected councilor of Valledupar, along with six councilors in other municipalities.

In 1996, she tried to return to Colombia, but due to the state of the armed conflict in the country, and the many acquaintances who had been killed in Valledupar, she returned to Sweden. Despite the result, she stated that the vote was historic due to the fact that, in a region with a strong predominance of right-wing paramilitarism, for the first time in a long time, a leftist force was electorally present.

As a UP activist, she toured the country with Pedagogy for Peace, and later promoted the "Yes" option for the peace agreement referendum.

Member of Voices of Peace and Reconciliation

On 24 November 2016, the FARC commander-in-chief, Rodrigo Londoño Echeverri, signed the Final Peace Agreement with President Juan Manuel Santos. Point three of the agreement, pertaining to "Guarantees for the new political party or movement", set conditions for the creation of the group Voices of Peace and Reconciliation , which would have a seat in Congress to accompany the implementation of the agreement.

Along with and , Imelda Daza was elected as the organization's representative in the Chamber of Representatives, with a voice but no vote, on 19 December 2016. He resigned as a candidate due to health problems in March 2018, and the group did not name a replacement.

She was elected to the Colombian Senate for the Commons party in the 2022 parliamentary election.

Personal life As of 2017, she has been married for 45 years, with three children who live in Sweden.