Political Strategy & Crisis Communications
Led communications strategy, content creation, and crisis management across multiple high-stakes Colombian political campaigns during a transformative period in the country's history. From grassroots peace activism to congressional races to presidential campaigns, developed integrated visual and strategic messaging that significantly increased candidate engagement and navigated complex public controversies.
The Context: Colombia's Peace Process
In 2016, Colombia reached a historic moment: a peace agreement with the FARC-EP, Latin America's oldest and largest guerrilla movement. I became deeply involved in the campaign to approve the peace process through public referendum.
We lost by a narrow margin.
This defeat galvanized grassroots organizing. Along with others, I helped establish Campamento por la Paz—a protest encampment in Bogotá's Plaza Bolívar that lasted 45 days, advocating for peace. When the government signed a second agreement with the FARC, the movement succeeded.
This experience drew me into political activism and eventually professional political communications work. I believed Colombia could transform through pragmatic leadership and honest communication. I worked with candidates who embodied that possibility.
DIEGO CANCINO: Strategic Communications & Crisis Management
2018: House of Representatives Campaign
I developed a close collaborative relationship with Diego Cancino, who represented a new approach to Colombian politics—pragmatic, transparent, innovative, community-focused.
For his initial campaign to the House of Representatives, I created:
- Communications strategy across platforms
- Audiovisual content (campaign videos, testimonials, event coverage)
- Graphic materials (social media assets, print materials, visual identity)
The campaign was lost by a small margin, but the foundation was built.
2020: Bogotá Council Campaign
Diego ran again—this time for Bogotá's City Council. I returned to develop:
- Complete visual strategy for the campaign
- Video production (candidate messaging, policy explainers, community engagement)
- Graphic design system consistent across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
- Strategic messaging positioning Diego as pragmatic reformer
He won as the most-voted council member that year.
2020: Crisis Communications During Police Brutality Protests
Later that year, Colombia erupted in protests against police brutality. Diego, as newly elected council member, became vocal critic of police violence. His communications director left during this volatile period.
He called me.
For four months (Aug-Dec 2020), I served as communications consultant during one of the most politically sensitive moments in recent Colombian history.
My role:
Crisis response. When controversies emerged—and they emerged constantly—I helped Diego craft responses that were honest, strategic, and legally sound.
Content strategy. Managed Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Created videos, graphics, policy documents optimized for each platform's dynamics.
Speechwriting. Drafted speeches for council sessions, public events, and media appearances.
Engagement optimization. Achieved 200% increase in follower engagement through strategic content calendar, authentic voice, and rapid response capability.
Technical and strategic improvement. Enhanced production quality of videos, refined graphic design language, and developed consistent messaging framework.
This wasn't typical political communications. It was high-stakes crisis management during civil unrest. Diego was calling out powerful institutions. Every statement mattered. Every image was scrutinized.
I helped him navigate this successfully while growing his public influence.
FRANK PEARL: Presidential Campaign
In 2017, I joined Frank Pearl's presidential campaign. Pearl had been lead negotiator in the FARC peace process—a figure I deeply respected.
His campaign brought together people across Colombia's political spectrum who believed the country could move beyond violence. It was idealistic and necessary.
My role was primarily technical:
- Audiovisual production (campaign videos, event coverage, social media content)
- Graphic design (campaign materials, digital assets, print collateral)
- Day-to-day campaign support (following the candidate, capturing moments, producing rapid-turnaround content)
The campaign ended early due to technical disqualification over signature collection issues. It was disappointing but instructive.
I learned that political campaigns require not just compelling vision but organizational infrastructure. Without proper systems, even the most credible candidates can fail on technicalities.
But the experience reinforced my belief that Colombia needs pragmatic leadership willing to prioritize peace over partisanship.
Key Skills Demonstrated
Crisis communications under pressure. Managed messaging during volatile political moment with real-world consequences.
Integrated content strategy. Coordinated visual, written, and video content across multiple platforms with platform-specific optimization.
Rapid production capability. Political campaigns move fast. I produced high-quality content on tight deadlines consistently.
Strategic messaging. Understood how to position candidates authentically while appealing to target constituencies.
Collaboration with high-stakes clients. Worked directly with candidates during critical moments, requiring trust, discretion, and strategic thinking.
What This Work Represents
These campaigns represent my belief that design and communications can serve democratic transformation. Colombia's peace process was fragile. These candidates—Diego and Frank—represented paths toward non-violent politics.
My work helped amplify their voices during critical moments.
Beyond specific outcomes, this experience taught me that communications strategy in high-pressure environments requires:
- Clarity under chaos. When everyone is panicking, clear thinking and rapid execution matter most.
- Authenticity over perfection. Voters respond to honest communication, not polished artifice.
- Platform-specific optimization. Instagram requires different strategy than Twitter or Facebook.
- Relationship management. Political clients are under immense stress. Effective collaboration requires empathy and patience.
Legacy
Diego continues serving in Bogotá's government. The peace process continues, imperfectly. Frank Pearl remains a voice for pragmatic politics.
I contributed to these efforts through strategic communications when it mattered most.