Iván Cepeda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iván Cepeda
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Cepeda in 2020
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| Senator of Colombia | |
| Assumed office 20 July 2014 |
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| Member of the Chamber of Representatives | |
| In office 20 July 2010 – 20 July 2014 |
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| Constituency | Capital District |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Iván Cepeda Castro
24 October 1962 Bogotá, D.C., Colombia |
| Political party | Historic Pact (2025–present) |
| Spouse |
Pilar Rueda
(m. 2014) |
| Parents |
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| Education | Sofia University (BPhil) University of Lyon (MPhil) |
| Occupation |
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Iván Cepeda Castro (born 24 October 1962) is a Colombian politician, human rights activist, and philosopher. He is a member of the Historic Pact political party. He is a well-known leader on the left side of Colombian politics.
Iván Cepeda has been a Senator of Colombia since 2014. Before that, he was a member of the Chamber of Representatives from 2010 to 2014. He also started the Manuel Cepeda Foundation. This foundation is named after his father, who was a political leader. Cepeda ran for President of Colombia in 2026. He placed second in the first round of voting and lost in the second round.
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Who is Iván Cepeda?
Iván Cepeda Castro is a respected figure in Colombian politics. He is known for his work in human rights and his role as a philosopher. He belongs to the Historic Pact political party. His career has focused on advocating for peace and justice in Colombia.
His Early Life and Education
Iván Cepeda was born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1962. His parents, Manuel Cepeda Vargas and Yira Castro, were both involved in politics. When he was three years old, his family had to leave Colombia. They lived in Prague for a while.
Later, his family moved to Havana, Cuba, seeking safety. They returned to Colombia in 1970. However, they continued to face political challenges. At 13, Cepeda joined the Communist Youth group. At 19, he moved to Bulgaria. He studied at Sofia University and earned a degree in philosophy there.
Starting His Career
After his studies, Cepeda returned to Colombia in 1987. He had new ideas about politics. He believed in a democratic and open approach for left-wing politics. He did not agree with the strict political systems he had seen in Eastern Europe.
In Colombia, Cepeda became involved in politics. He supported Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa's presidential campaign. Sadly, Jaramillo Ossa was killed in 1990. That same year, Cepeda joined the M-19 Democratic Alliance party. This group had previously been an armed group but had signed a peace agreement. On August 9, 1994, his father, who was a Senator, was killed in Bogotá. This happened due to actions by some groups involved in conflict.
Working for Human Rights
After his father's death, Iván Cepeda started the Manuel Cepeda Foundation. He created it with his then-wife, Claudia Girón. The foundation aimed to find out who was responsible for his father's death. In 2003, Cepeda helped create the National Movement for Victims of State Crimes. This group brought together 17 organizations. They worked to find justice for people affected by the armed conflict in Colombia during the 1980s and 1990s.
Because of his work, Cepeda faced threats. He went to France in 2000 for safety. He returned to Colombia in 2003. He continued his work helping victims of violence. Cepeda has worked to remember members of the Patriotic Union political group. Many people from this group faced violence and were killed starting in 1984. He believes strongly in defending human rights and supporting peace. He has had to live outside Colombia several times for his safety.
During the start of Gustavo Petro's time as president, Cepeda helped with peace talks. He worked with armed groups like FARC and ELN.
His Political Journey
Iván Cepeda began his journey in elected politics in 2009.
In the House of Representatives
In 2010, he won a seat in the House of Representatives for Bogotá. As a member of the Alternative Democratic Pole party, he focused on investigating groups that used violence to try and control politics.
Serving in the Senate
Cepeda was elected to the Senate in 2014. He was re-elected in 2018 and 2022. As a Senator, he continued to help with peace talks. He worked with the FARC and later with the ELN.
Between 2023 and 2025, Cepeda had the second-highest number of absences from Senate meetings. He explained that most of his absences were because he was attending important meetings for the peace process.
Running for President
After some political changes in 2025, Cepeda became a leading figure in the left-wing Historic Pact party. In October 2025, he won his party's internal election. He then became the Historic Pact candidate for president.
There were questions about the funding for his primary campaign in 2025. The National Electoral Council (CNE) looked into these questions and gathered information.
In March 2026, Cepeda officially became a candidate for the general election on May 31. He chose Indigenous leader and Senator Aida Quilcué as his running mate for vice-president.
His campaign focused on continuing the "Total Peace" policy. He also supported changes to land ownership and protecting the independence of the justice system. Cepeda wanted to continue efforts for human rights and fighting climate change. He supported reducing Colombia’s reliance on fossil fuels. He also wanted to move the country towards renewable energy. He was against new foreign military bases in Latin America. He supported working with many countries and not joining military alliances like NATO.
On economic matters, he aimed to share wealth more fairly. This was to reduce differences between rich and poor people. He proposed higher taxes for very wealthy people and large companies. The money from these taxes would help fund social programs and improve public services. Cepeda suggested creating a "People’s Bank." This bank would offer small loans to families who needed help starting businesses. He supported changes made by President Gustavo Petro. These included increasing the minimum wage, changing pension rules, and giving one million hectares of land back to people affected by the armed conflict.
Cepeda ran for President of Colombia in 2026. He received 40.90% of the vote in the first round, placing second. He lost in the second round to Abelardo de la Espriella, receiving 48.70% of the vote.
A Notable Legal Case
Iván Cepeda has been part of an important legal discussion involving former President Álvaro Uribe. This started in 2012 when Cepeda shared information with Congress. This information suggested Uribe's possible involvement with certain groups. Uribe then started a legal action against Cepeda.
In 2018, the Supreme Court of Colombia dismissed the case against Cepeda. Instead, the court decided to investigate Uribe. In July 2025, a court made a decision about Uribe. However, this decision was changed in October 2025 by another court. After that, Cepeda's legal team said they would ask the Supreme Court to review the case again.
Personal Life
Iván Cepeda was previously married to Claudia Girón. He is now married to Pilar Rueda, who is an attorney.
