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Estefanel Gutiérrez is elected president of the Afro-Colombian Commission of Congress following a dispute with Óscar Benavides

Estefanel Gutiérrez was elected president of the Afro-Colombian Commission of Congress for the first year with 29 votes. The election resulted in a dispute with Óscar Benavides, who represented the Afro-descendant population and expressed disappointment with the result. Benavides argued that a representative who did not fully understand the struggles and culture of black communities should not impose a position. During the confrontation, Benavides told Gutiérrez that he fell from a pedestal. Gutiérrez responded by stating he was "more black" than Benavides and identified himself as a Palenquero. Gutiérrez noted that the decision for the second year of the presidency was not yet defined and would be determined by the Commission's 49 members later. The election was preceded by controversies regarding Benavides' private campaign to collect donations for the Chocó earthquake. These issues led several parliamentarians to prefer Gutiérrez, who was supported by the Government coalition and several other political sectors.

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