National Popular Alliance

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The National Popular Alliance or ANAPO (Alianza Nacional Popular) is a left-wing political party in Colombia. ANAPO is one of the political movements that currently make up the Independent Democratic Pole coalition.

Contents 1 History 1.1 The 1970 Elections 1.1.1 Defeat or Fraud? 1.1.2 Aftermath 2 Recent Electoral Status

[edit] History

The party's political height grew during the mid-to-late 1960s and the beginning of its decline came in 1970, after what is commonly perceived as its zenith by historians.

[edit] The 1970 Elections

[edit] Defeat or Fraud?

The year of 1970 saw the electoral defeat of its presidential candidate, the former dictator General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, at the hands of Misael Pastrana Borrero after a close April 19 election which ANAPO and several prominent figures of Colombian public opinion condemned as fraudulent at the time.

The accusation has been maintained by ANAPO and most opposition parties ever since. Polls have shown that subsequently it has almost become a fact accepted by the political mainstream in Colombia as of 2005, specifically due to the gradual surfacing and historical evaluation of supporting evidence, memoirs and testimonies.

[edit] Aftermath

Initially, ANAPO tried to declare the elections illegitimate, both by actively calling for a citizen protest or uprising, and also by demanding that Colombia's Electoral Court abstain from supporting the official result. The Court denied this request and recognized Misael Pastrana as president elect.

ANAPO's reaction created alarm in many National Front politicians and media outlets, who supported the announced result. President Carlos Lleras Restrepo vehemently denied the charges of fraud and argued that his responsibility was to hand over power to the legally recognized winning candidate. The government declared a state of siege in order to try to stop riots from erupting, signs of which appeared mainly in Bogotá but also in some other regions of the country.

In 1974, the 19th of April Movement (M-19), a Colombian guerrilla group, came into the public scene and claimed that its struggle was a reaction to what it called the illegitimacy of the 1970 elections, the nation's bipartisan political system, and the National Front agreement that had supported them.

Initially, the M-19 hoped to actively incorporate ANAPO leaders and party members as its political representatives, but many, including ANAPO chief Maria Eugenia Rojas, ultimately rejected any attempt to actively establish such an association.

[edit] Recent Electoral Status

At the last legislative elections, 10 march 2002 , the party won as one of the many small parties having parliamentary representation.

Political Parties of Colombia
Major Parties	Liberal Party    Conservative Party    Democratic Pole     Party of the U
Minor Parties	Alternative of Social Progress      Alterning Road     Christian National Party     Christians for Community      Citizens' Convergence     Citizens' Movement     Citizens' Political Movement for Bocaya     Civic People's Convergence     Civic Purpose Colombia     Coalition     Colombia Always     Colombia Unite     Colombian Community and Communal Political Movement     Colombian People's Party     Colombian Social Democratic Party     Community Participation      Democratic Colombia Party     Democratic Progressivity     Democratic Unity Party     For the Country of our Dreams     Front of Hope     Huila New and Liberalism      Huella Citizens's Movement     Independent Absolute Renovation Movement     Independent Civic Movement (Colombia)     Independent Conservatism     Independent Democratic Pole      Indigenous Authorities of Colombia      Indigenous Social Alliance Movement     Liberal Opening     Living Colombia Movement     Mira Movement     Moral and Social Vanguard Party Let's Go Golombia     Movimiento Dejen Jugar al Moreno      National Democratic Reconstruction     National Movement     National Popular Alliance     National Salvation Movement     New Democratic Force     New Liberalism     People's Integration Movement     People's Participation Movement     People's Will Movement     Political Movement for Social Security     Progressive Force     Progressive National Movement     Radical Change     Regional Integration Movement     Renovation Movement Labour Action     Republican Movement     Revolutionary Independent Labour Movement     Social Action Party     Social and Political Front     Team Colombia     Unionist Movement     United People's Movement     We are Colombia     Yes Colombia
Historical Parties	Patriotic Union (UP)  Hope, Peace and Liberty
See List of political parties in Colombia for a complete list.