María Fernanda Cabal Molina

ABOUT MARíA FERNANDA CABAL MOLINA

Colombian political scientist, businesswoman, and politician recognized as a leading figure in the country's right-wing movement. She served in the Chamber of Representatives from 2014 to 2018 and was elected Senator in 2018 as part of the Democratic Center party, becoming the highest-voted female legislator. Over the years, she has established a strong reputation for her hardline conservative stance and outspoken opposition to left-leaning ideologies.

She attended the University of the Andes in Bogotá, where she studied political science. Throughout her collegiate years, she orchestrated a Democracy Program for which she obtained funding from the National Endowment for Democracy. After graduating, she worked with the Kettering Foundation in the United States, where she established the Student Travel Center, focused on assisting work and study abroad opportunities for Colombian youth, in 2003.

In 2024, she publicly announced her plans to run for President in the 2026 elections as the Democratic Center candidate.

She is the youngest of three daughters born to father Santiago Cabal, an engineer, and mother Amparo Molina, a local cultural and educational leader. When she was 26 years old, she married José Félix Lafaurie, a civil engineer and cattle rancher, and together, they share four children - Luisa, Denisse, Santiago, and Juan José.

She has publicly praised world leaders such as Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele .