Politics of Valledupar () refers to the political processes in the Colombian city of Valledupar in Cesar Department. The local politics of Valledupar take places within the framework of the Politics of Colombia which are based on a presidential system and representative democratic republic.
History
The Politics of Valledupar has struggled along the political situations of Colombia throughout the years since its creation by Spanish colonizers and its Independence from them. Relatively prompt to political violence the politics of Valledupar have been divided between periods of political instability and periods of relatively political stability along a hegemony between the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombian Liberal Party following ideals of Colombian Liberalism and Conservatism respectively.
In the early 20th century and with the influence of new political ideals from Europe, Communism spread through Latin America, Colombia and the region of Valledupar. After the end of the Thousand Days War radical liberals in the region started to adopt versions of Colombian communism but have always represented a minority in comparison to the population. The political trend was the caudillismo (strong men) in support of the two main political parties, the conservative and liberal supported by other powerful landowners and selected families. Elections were held only for president and legislature. Within the powers of the President of Colombia (before the constitution of 1991) was the ability to appoint department governors, mayors of municipalities and police inspectors for corregimientos and settlements. In the region of Valledupar the main traditional, political, landowner families were the Castros and the Araujos, whose political hegemony dates back to colonial times of their Spanish ancestors.
The post of Mayor of Valledupar was created in 1915 along with the Municipal Council of Valledupar. The municipal council had very little importance, since the appointed mayor had control over much of the budget and was usually a military man. Councilmen were elected in a single election along with the president and the rest of the legislative branch of government. The region was also greatly influenced by Liberal President Alfonso López Pumarejo whose mother was from Valledupar.
During La Violencia
During the period of La Violencia very few incidents of political violence occurred in Valledupar, however the repression incidents provoked by the chulavitas (the Conservative government police) were described in vallenato songs.
Politics in Valledupar have been plagued by political scandals and corruption to maintain power. The politics of Economics have also been centered towards an agro-export economy and concerning social changes, the indigenous peoples have also conflicted with these politics since the time of the Colony situation that escalated because of the Catholic Church involvement in their culture and the expropriation of land. There hasn't been any significant agrarian reforms but an improvement in social protection and benefits that began with the election of President Lopez Pumarejo and his "Revolucion en Marcha" (Marching Revolution) program.
During the years of the National Front, communist guerrillas developed during the period of La Violencia under communist ideals started to appear in the region of Valledupar. Political parties also associated with these ideals like the Colombian Communist Party (PCC), the Revolutionary Independent Labour Movement (MOIR) and the Colombian Liberal Party faction Liberal Revolutionary Movement (MRL) developed with a strong militancy of young students to protest the nature of the National Front and the repression of the conservatives governments, among these is former President Lopez-Pumarejo's son Alfonso López Michelsen who pushed for the creation of the Cesar Department and setting Valledupar as its capital along with the aristocrat political leadership of Valledupar. During this time the communist guerrillas began armed incursions against the Colombian army in Valledupar and landowners, with kidnappings for ransom, cattle or agricultural equipment robbing, extorting, but sporadically. Meanwhile, land owners experimented a boom in cotton production that further enriched them throughout the 1970s. Valledupar enjoyed a process of urban development and growth, while the majority maintained a relatively comfortable life.