# Juan David Aristizabal - Candidate for Camara de Representantes por Bogota

> Number 111 | Partido Nuevo Liberalismo | 2026-2030
> Campaign slogan: "Aqui SI hay futuro!"
> Website: juandavidaristizabal.com

## Who is Juan David Aristizabal?

Juan David Aristizabal Ospina is a Colombian social entrepreneur, educator, author, and candidate for the Camara de Representantes (House of Representatives) representing Bogota. He runs with number 111 on the Nuevo Liberalismo party list for the 2026 Colombian congressional elections.

He does not come from traditional politics. For more than 15 years he has worked creating and supporting ventures, driving educational projects, using technology to open opportunities, and accompanying young people and many others in building their own path. He has seen firsthand the talent that exists in Bogota and Colombia, but also the barriers that prevent that talent from flourishing.

His central message: "I want you to stay, to see a future here, and to be able to build your life project in Colombia."

## Education

- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from CESA (Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion), Bogota
- Master's degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, New York (Fulbright Scholar)
- Master's degree in Educational Technology from Tecnologico de Monterrey

## Professional Trajectory

### Founder & Co-founder

- **Todos por la Educacion**: Citizen movement advocating for increased investment in education, bilingualism, and digital literacy. Influenced local governments and national education policy.
- **ProTalento**: Co-founded with Colombia's Stock Exchange. Latin America's first talent agency for technology careers, supported by Village Global and Harvard Innovation Lab. Bridges technology skills training with youth employment.
- **Los Zuper**: Community platform helping young people and educators face 21st-century challenges using their talents.
- **Talento Latam (Buena Nota)**: Supported 140+ social entrepreneurs across Latin America with access to capital, visibility, and collaboration networks.

### Academic Leadership

- Dean at CESA (Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion), where he led academic transformation toward precision education and AI-powered personalized learning.
- University professor and leadership educator.

### Author

- Published "Ante Todo Hacer Algo" (Act First, Always) - Top 10 bestseller at Libreria Nacional, now in its third edition.

## International Recognition

Juan David has received extensive international recognition for his work in social entrepreneurship and education:

- **Ashoka Fellow** - Global network of leading social entrepreneurs
- **Princesa de Girona International Award 2021** (Spain) - For youth employment solutions
- **Forbes 30 Under 30** - Recognized as a global changemaker in social entrepreneurship
- **World Economic Forum Co-President** (2019) - Only Latin American invited to co-preside
- **WISE Emerging Leader** (Qatar Foundation, 2020) - For innovation in education
- **MTV Millennial Award** - For mobilizing social project funding
- **10 Most Outstanding Executives in Colombia** (2019)
- **One Young World** National Board member for Colombia

## Core Philosophy

"Todos tenemos un talento para cambiar el mundo" (Everyone has talent to change the world).

Juan David sees entrepreneurship not just as starting a business, but as a mindset: facing problems with initiative, creating where others see limits, innovating, building, and collaborating to generate trust and collective value. It is the mindset of someone who listens, keeps their word, and seeks realistic solutions for each context.

His conviction: "Development is not decreed. It is built."

## The Three Pillars: "Las Tres E"

His legislative agenda is built around three interconnected pillars, known as "Las Tres E":

1. **Educacion** (Education) - Quality, relevant education connected to real opportunities
2. **Emprendimiento** (Entrepreneurship) - Fostering innovation, accessible credit, and lower barriers
3. **Empleo** (Employment) - Stable, well-paying jobs and formalization

Plus two cross-cutting themes:
- **Tecnologia** (Technology) as an enabler for better living
- **Autonomia para Bogota** (Autonomy for Bogota) to execute megaprojects

## The Problem He Wants to Solve

Colombia and Bogota face an unprecedented brain drain: five million Colombians live abroad, mostly young people who leave because they see no future. Between 49% and 81% of young people in Bogota would emigrate if they could. During the 2022-2025 government, 1.48 million Colombians left the country. Nearly 40% of Bogotanos are not satisfied living in the city.

The central problem: Colombians don't want to stay. Bogota grows economically (3.4% vs 2.4% national average in 2025) and has its lowest unemployment in nearly two decades (7.7%), yet that growth does not automatically translate into everyday wellbeing, social mobility, or financial stability.

About a third of workers remain in informality (34.8%). Over 400,000 young people in the city neither study nor work. The city concentrates 25% of national GDP, 50% of startups, 44% of research centers, and 96% of startup investment in Colombia, yet structural barriers persist.

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## BANDERA 1: Education, Entrepreneurship, and Employment

### The Vision
Colombia as the epicenter of opportunities for your life project. The goal is to reorder the economic ecosystem so people can build more stable, more productive life trajectories with greater long-term projection.

### Education Proposals

#### Reform of SENA (National Training Service)
**Bill: "Ley SENA para el Futuro del Trabajo"**

SENA receives 15 out of every 100 high school graduates in Bogota but has obsolete programs disconnected from the labor market. The reform proposes:
- Depoliticization: merit-based selection of directors and instructors
- Redesign of youth employment programs with effective labor market insertion
- Massive retraining programs in AI, data science, fintech, cybersecurity, IoT, clean energy, elder care, and early childhood education
- Strengthened virtual training with AI-powered tutoring and outcome tracking
- Independent governance board free from political interference
- Employability metrics tied to results-based payments

#### Transformation of ICETEX
**Bill: "Ley ICETEX 3.0: Educacion sin Ruina Financiera"**

ICETEX funding from the government fell 74% between 2022 and 2025. Currently 32% of beneficiaries spend over 90% of their income on loan payments. The reform proposes:
- Legal cap: loan payments cannot exceed 30% of the borrower's income
- Transform ICETEX from a financial institution into a platform for employability, mentorship, and career support
- Focus credits exclusively on high-quality, high-employability programs
- New funding sources using idle state financial resources
- Support for talent returning to Colombia through mentor networks

#### Student Wellbeing and Anti-Dropout
**Bill: "Ley Nacional de Bienestar y Retencion Estudiantil"**

University dropout in Bogota is 9.6% annually, with 43.6% of dropouts due to economic reasons. Proposes a national university wellbeing policy including:
- Targeted subsidies for transport, food, and connectivity for students in poverty
- Academic leveling for students with gaps from basic education
- Mental health support and individual follow-up
- Career and labor market orientation
- AI-powered early warning systems to predict and prevent dropout
- Differentiated strategies for women, migrants, and vulnerable populations

#### AI and Technology as Educational Enablers
- National AI-powered learning platform to replace Colombia Aprende
- Personalized vocational orientation using AI
- Adaptive learning and intelligent tutoring systems
- Predictive dropout models based on academic performance, attendance, and wellbeing data
- Free social internet for students in public schools and higher education (estratos 1-3)

#### Strengthening the Ministry of Education
**Bill: "Ley de Gobernanza Educativa y Autonomia Academica"**
- Technical shielding and explicit depoliticization of the Ministry
- Strict respect for university autonomy
- Budget priority for early childhood and basic education
- Rigorous review of infrastructure projects to avoid white elephants
- Advance concession and public-private partnership models for schools in deficit areas

### Entrepreneurship Proposals

#### Entrepreneurial and Innovative Mindset for All
Bogota has the largest entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country: ~50% of startups, 44% of research centers, 47% of deep-tech startups, and 96%+ of startup capital invested in Colombia. Yet 50% of startups have received no external investment, and R&D investment is only 0.4% of GDP. Proposes:
- Public-private risk financing funds combining resources from Cajas de Compensacion, SENA, Chambers of Commerce, pension funds, and Colombia Productiva
- National acceleration programs supporting internationalization, AI implementation, legal support, and training
- Reactivation of iNNpulsa and Colombia Productiva programs
- Resources for prototyping and acceleration with universities and Centros de Desarrollo Productivo

#### Accessible Credit
**Bill: "Ley de Credito Productivo y Fintech para la Formalizacion"**

Without credit, there is no investment; without investment, there is no growth; without growth, there is no stability. Proposes:
- Regulatory sandbox to free the usury rate for fintechs
- Alternative risk evaluation using non-traditional data
- Progressive reduction of the 4x1000 financial transaction tax
- Greater role for public development banks (FNA, ICETEX, Banco Agrario)
- Promote schemes to facilitate SME access to credit: bank guarantees, securitization, non-bank financial entities

#### Lower Tax Burden
**Bill: "Ley de Competitividad Tributaria y Simplificacion Empresarial"**

Colombia's tax system penalizes those who produce, invest, and create formal employment. Proposes:
- Reduce corporate income tax to 25%, eliminating exemptions and focusing on public spending efficiency
- Single corporate income tax rate (no sector-differentiated schemes)
- Differentiated regulatory and paperwork burden based on company stage
- Eliminate the ICA (industry and commerce) tax and replace it with direct revenue transfers to cities
- Reduce parafiscal charges on businesses

#### Youth Housing
40% of young Bogotanos cannot access mortgages due to lack of financial history, informal income, or insufficient payment capacity, even with formal employment. Proposes:
- State guarantees focused on those under 28
- Mandatory quotas in social housing (VIS) programs
- Special programs with FNA and MinVivienda included in the National Development Plan

### Employment Proposals

#### Youth Employment as a National Purpose
1.85 million people in Bogota are young (22% of the population). Between 412,000 and 556,000 young people are neither studying nor working, concentrated in the south and west of the city. Proposes a national youth employment program with:
- AI-assisted vocational orientation
- Relevant training and modular certifications
- Employability support and career coaching
- Training financing
- Company partnerships for internships, apprenticeship contracts, and formal employment
- Results-based payment schemes
- Territorial focus on south and west Bogota and lower-income households

#### Export of Professional Services
**Bill: "Ley de Exportacion de Servicios Profesionales"**

Bogota's human talent in technology, creative services, engineering, design, analytics, consulting, and education already competes in international markets, but with legal uncertainty and tax costs that push workers toward informality or billing from abroad. Proposes:
- Legal definition of what constitutes professional services export
- Automatic 0% VAT for service exports with fast DIAN refunds
- Creation of a SIMPLE Exportador de Servicios tax regime
- Mandatory digital export accounts in banks and fintechs with automatic currency conversion
- National bilingualism strategy: bilingual public schools, international baccalaureate programs, English training for public school teachers

#### Reactivation of Strategic Sectors
**Bill: "Ley de Transicion Energetica Responsable y Seguridad Juridica"**

No energy transition without energy security. No industry without reliable, competitive energy. Proposes:
- Strategic use of mining-energy resources, accelerating exploration in coal, rare metals, natural gas, and oil
- Strengthening of electrical infrastructure
- Progressive transition toward cleaner energy
- Legal certainty for strategic projects with clear prior consultation timelines

#### Silver Economy: Lifelong Opportunities
15.2% of Bogota's population is over 60 (1.2+ million people). Entrepreneurs over 50 have 30% to 70% higher probability of business success than younger founders. Proposes:
- Continuing education in digital, financial, and productive skills for people over 50
- Retraining and labor market re-entry programs
- Senior entrepreneurship opportunities
- Employability schemes that value experience and accumulated knowledge
- Incentives for intergenerational hiring in companies
- Mandatory digital training for people over 50

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## BANDERA 2: Colombia, Technology Leader for Better Living

### The Vision
Technology is only progress when it is felt in daily life and reduces the costs of time, fear, and uncertainty that people face. Bogota has invested in technology for years but that investment does not translate into a better life experience for citizens. The city remains insecure, bureaucratic processes are slow, mobility is chaotic, and information is fragmented. The problem is not technological but one of design and integration.

### Technology Proposals

#### Technology for the People: Empower, Not Complicate
- Public digital assistants for small businesses, independent workers, and SMEs (financial guidance, useful alerts, productivity tools)
- Clear, personalized information about government procedures with digital accompaniment
- Incorporate the "once only" principle in the National Development Plan: citizens and businesses should only need to provide their standard information once, which can then be reused across public entities with consent and data protection

#### A City That Works: Technology with Rules
**Bill: "Ley de Gestion Urbana Inteligente y Pilotos de Control Digital"**

Each citizen in Bogota loses between 119 and 130 hours per year in traffic congestion. 426,000+ active businesses lose 5-7 hours per bureaucratic procedure. Proposes:
- Mandatory urban interoperability framework: mobility, traffic lights, street lighting, construction, and public services managed with real-time data, urban sensors, and IoT
- Mandatory measurable pilots (from Congress): intelligent traffic control, adaptive traffic lights, digital coordination of construction projects
- Simple, integrated, usable digital government: single digital identity to eliminate paperwork, integrate health/education/tax/utility services, and reduce processing times by up to 70%
- Responsible use of data, AI, and biometry: traceability, explainability, human control, audits, and fundamental rights protection

#### Security with Intelligence
**Bill: "Ley de Biometria para la Seguridad y la Justicia"**

Security in Bogota cannot be fought only with physical presence but with better information, better analysis, and better coordination. Today security data exists but is fragmented across agencies. Proposes:
- Regulated and responsible use of biometry (facial, fingerprint, behavioral)
- Integration of cameras, databases, and identification systems currently siloed
- Real-time data sharing between Police, Prosecutor's Office, judges, and local authorities
- Mandatory interoperability, traceability, and data protection standards
- Strategic focus: identifying recidivism, criminal networks, illegal economies, and tracking illicit money (not mass surveillance)

#### Talent for Security
Retired military personnel have valuable experience that can be leveraged in:
- Information analysis and processing
- Operation of technology systems and control centers
- Specialized surveillance and territorial prevention
- Formation in new technologies to accelerate effective adoption

#### Drone Innovation and Industry
Bogota should not only use technology but produce, adapt, and scale it. Proposes building a local drone industry linking universities, research centers, tech startups, and public entities as initial buyers, for:
- Monitoring hard-to-access areas
- Security operations support
- Emergency and disaster early response
- Environmental surveillance and critical infrastructure monitoring

#### Connectivity and Data Infrastructure
**Bill: "Ley de Infraestructura Digital Estrategica"**

There is no digital economy without robust connectivity and urban-scale data. Proposes:
- Expansion of high-quality connectivity across the entire city
- Effective deployment of 5G networks
- Attraction and development of data centers as strategic economic assets
- Digital infrastructure as enabler for commerce, entrepreneurship, public services, education, security, and knowledge-intensive services export

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## BANDERA 3: Bogota with Autonomy for Megaprojects

### The Vision
Bogota produces nearly a quarter of national GDP and concentrates the majority of the country's business fabric, formal employment, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Yet the city produces much but decides little. Strategic decisions about infrastructure, financing, regulation, and investment priorities are made under centralized schemes that do not recognize the scale of a city-region with over 8 million inhabitants. Without real autonomy, Bogota's productive capacity cannot fully translate into wellbeing, execution, or sustainable results.

### Autonomy Proposals

#### Reform of the Ley de Competencias
**Bill: "Ley de Competencias para Ciudades Ancla y Bogota-Region"**

Proposes reforms to the Ley Organica de Ordenamiento Territorial to:
- Create the legal category of "Ciudad Ancla / Ciudad-Region" (Bogota as pilot) with differentiated competencies based on economic scale and urban pressure
- Grant the District explicit competencies to plan and coordinate strategic urban-regional infrastructure: rail mobility (metro/regiotram), road access and logistics, airport surroundings, digital connectivity and data, urban energy security
- Coordinate Nation-District relations with a single intergovernmental window, mandatory deadlines, and mechanisms to avoid administrative blockages
- Shield structural project continuity so megaprojects don't depend on political cycles

#### Special Fiscal Regime
**Bill: "Ley de Regimen Fiscal Especial para Ciudades Ancla"**

Real autonomy cannot exist if the city cannot structure stable, flexible multi-year financing for megaprojects. Proposes:
- Special Fiscal Regime for Anchor Cities enabling differentiated rules for cities that sustain a substantial share of GDP and execute strategic infrastructure
- Multi-year investment frameworks with budget stability for structural projects (metro, airport, road access, energy networks, connectivity, data centers)
- Explicit authorization of urban financing instruments for megaprojects: land value capture, PPPs with reinforced transparency rules, thematic bonds (green/infrastructure), Nation-District co-financing with physical progress metrics
- Fiscal responsibility and accountability rules: goals, audits, periodic public reporting

#### Royalties and Budget Prioritization
"Regla de Retorno Urbano-Productivo para Bogota-Region"

Bogota absorbs costs of national growth (mobility, services, security, urban pressure) but national investment does not always return proportionally. Proposes:
- Reform national investment allocation criteria to recognize urban and metropolitan pressure, national economic impact of urban infrastructure, and productivity/logistics
- Establish verifiable commitments in the PND for strategic project prioritization in Bogota-Region
- Secure annual budget allocations and timelines for: airport expansion, rail system, strategic road access, urban energy security, 5G connectivity and data capacity

### Megaproject Proposals for Bogota

#### El Dorado Airport as Economic, Logistics, and Industrial Hub
El Dorado consolidated as Latin America's busiest airport in 2025 (45.8 million passengers, 16% growth). The El Dorado MAX (EDMAX) project aims to expand capacity to 65 million passengers. Proposes:
- Drive expansion of the airport's second phase
- Optimize slot usage for operational efficiency
- Develop an airport logistics center connected to logistics parks and road corridors
- Attract specialized manufacturing and technology services (assembly, maintenance, quality control, high-value logistics for batteries, chips, electronic components)
- Relocate CATAM to decongest the airport

#### Five Metro Lines and Regiotram
The metro is Bogota's most important infrastructure project in decades, representing ~50% of national investment in major infrastructure works.
- Metro Line 1 (elevated): >70% physical progress, projected operation in 2028, 16 stations connecting southwest to north
- Metro Line 2 (subway): in bidding to connect center with northwest
- Metro Line 3: prefeasibility stage, connecting Soacha northward
- RegioTram de Occidente: 39.6 km, 17 stations, 30% progress, first phase projected for October 2027, connecting Facatativa to central Bogota
- RegioTram del Norte: connecting to Zipaquira, ~48 km, execution projected for the 2030s

Proposes advancing all five lines as an integrated system with continuity across administrations, coordinated urban planning, and timely financing.

#### Road Access and ALO
Bogota faces structural bottlenecks in its access roads. The Autopista Norte, Calle 80, Calle 13, and Autopista Sur all operate above capacity. Key projects like Accesos Norte Fase II, the ALO, Av. Boyaca extension, and Septima Norte are in various stages of development. Proposes:
- Drive completion of strategic projects: ALO, northern access, expansion of Calle 13 and Calle 80
- Comprehensive improvement of city access roads
- Coordinated regional mobility vision (Nation-District-Region)

#### Sabana Logistics Parks
Bogota's economic dynamism requires modern logistics. Proposes a network of logistics parks with:
- Clear territorial planning and environmental sustainability
- Effective connection with strategic infrastructure
- Rules that incentivize formalization and productivity

#### Innovation, Science, and Technology District
Bogota hosts 50% of the country's startups, 44% of research centers, 46.9% of deep-tech startups, and captured 96.2% of startup capital invested in Colombia (USD 687 million in 2024). Yet only 2.5% of researchers work in companies, and 75% of higher education institutions have not commercialized R&D results. Proposes converting dispersed capacity into a true Innovation District where:
- Academia generates applicable knowledge
- Companies find clear paths to innovate and scale
- The public sector acts as articulator and first buyer of innovation
- Building on the 2600 Campus de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion model

#### Urban Energy Security
Bogota practically does not generate its own energy, depending on distant plants. Growing demand from electric mobility, AI, and urban megaprojects creates a real risk of overload and blackouts. Proposes:
- Modern distributed energy matrix based on rooftop solar generation, building storage, smart metering, and micro-grids
- Strengthen transmission networks and modernize energy infrastructure
- Develop renewable energy aggregator systems connected to a stable grid
- Ordered, planned energy transition compatible with economic growth

#### Connected City: 5G, Data Centers, and Urban-Scale Services
- Effective 5G deployment across the entire city
- Attract and develop data centers as strategic economic assets
- Interoperability between public systems
- Digitalization of services with direct impact on mobility, security, and citizen services

#### Traffic Decongestion Master Plan
Bogota has spent decades dealing with fragmented, reactive mobility interventions. Proposes a master plan with:
- Prioritized identification of critical mobility points
- Concrete solutions (intersections, bridges, corridors, traffic management)
- Realistic cost and timeline estimates
- Ordered intervention scheduling

#### University City
Thousands of students face unaffordable rent, long commute times, poorly integrated urban environments, and barriers connecting study with employment. Proposes developing a university city as an integrated urban environment combining:
- Affordable student housing
- Connectivity and urban services
- Efficient transport
- Direct connection with innovation districts, employment, and entrepreneurship

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## Legislative Agenda Summary

Juan David's agenda will be executed from Congress through four key tools:

1. **Legislative Bills (Proyectos de Ley)** - Own bills to create new legal frameworks
2. **National Development Plan 2026-2030 (PND)** - Mandatory incorporation and defense of priorities
3. **National Budget (PGN)** - Annual prioritization and effective allocation of resources
4. **Political Oversight (Control Politico)** - Rigorous oversight to ensure execution

### Key Bills Proposed:

| Bill | Focus |
|------|-------|
| Ley SENA para el Futuro del Trabajo | Reform SENA for AI era and labor market relevance |
| Ley ICETEX 3.0: Educacion sin Ruina Financiera | Cap payments at 30% of income, add employability support |
| Ley Nacional de Bienestar y Retencion Estudiantil | Reduce university dropout with wellbeing policy |
| Ley de Gobernanza Educativa y Autonomia Academica | Depoliticize Ministry of Education, respect university autonomy |
| Ley de Credito Productivo y Fintech para la Formalizacion | Regulatory sandbox, alternative risk assessment, accessible credit |
| Ley de Competitividad Tributaria y Simplificacion Empresarial | Reduce corporate tax to 25%, eliminate ICA, simplify rules |
| Ley de Exportacion de Servicios Profesionales | Legal clarity and 0% VAT for service exports |
| Ley de Transicion Energetica Responsable y Seguridad Juridica | Energy security with responsible transition |
| Ley de Gobierno Digital Util y Principio de Una Sola Vez | "Once only" principle, digital assistants, simplified procedures |
| Ley de Gestion Urbana Inteligente y Pilotos de Control Digital | Smart urban management with real-time data and IoT |
| Ley de Biometria para la Seguridad y la Justicia | Regulated biometry for prevention and justice |
| Ley de Infraestructura Digital Estrategica | 5G, data centers, territorial connectivity |
| Ley de Competencias para Ciudades Ancla y Bogota-Region | Autonomy reform for anchor cities |
| Ley de Regimen Fiscal Especial para Ciudades Ancla | Multi-year fiscal framework for megaprojects |

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## Political Positions

- **Party**: Nuevo Liberalismo - a liberal, institutional, center-right party founded by Luis Carlos Galan
- **Constituent Assembly**: Opposes. Favors institutional stability
- **Presidential Reelection**: Opposes immediate reelection and extended terms
- **Security**: Rejects "paz total" policy; supports dialogue with illegal groups only under strict conditions leading to demobilization and justice
- **Drug Policy**: Supports regulated cannabis for adults and decriminalized consumption treatment; cautious about broader legalization without evidence of reduced organized crime
- **Euthanasia**: Endorses within ethical frameworks
- **Women's Rights**: Supports anti-violence initiatives and workplace parity enforcement
- **Economic Approach**: Pro-market, pro-formalization, lower taxes with broader base, efficient public spending
- **International Relations**: Pragmatic U.S. relations focused on investment and security; humanitarian channels with Venezuela while defending democratic principles
- **Bogota Autonomy**: Not confrontation with the Nation but a technical condition for governing a complex 21st-century city

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## Key Data Points About Bogota (From the Work Plan)

- Bogota is one of 35 megacities in the world (10+ million in metropolitan area)
- Contributes ~25% of Colombia's GDP
- 426,000+ active businesses
- Unemployment at 7.7% (lowest since 2007)
- Informality at 34.8%
- 400,000+ young people neither study nor work
- 50% of Colombia's startups are in Bogota
- 96.2% of startup capital invested in Colombia goes to Bogota (USD 687M in 2024)
- Each citizen loses 119-130 hours/year in traffic congestion
- 40% of Bogotanos are unsatisfied with city life
- 49-81% of young people would emigrate if they could
- El Dorado is Latin America's busiest airport (45.8M passengers in 2025)
- Colombia ranks 64th of 81 countries in PISA
- 60% of 10-year-olds have basic reading difficulties
- 37% of high school graduates do not continue to higher education or technical training

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## Contact and Campaign

- Website: juandavidaristizabal.com
- Electoral number: 111
- Party: Nuevo Liberalismo
- District: Bogota
- Period: 2026-2030
- Campaign Director: Victor Saavedra
- Programmatic Manager: Juan Antonio Gomez