In the program "Pending Conversations," hosted by Juan David Correa, Senator Aida Avella reviewed her career as a political and union leader, as well as the difficulties of being a woman in the Colombian left. She recalled her time at the National University in the 1970s, highlighting the cultural and academic life and the atmosphere of political debate that characterized the institution at that time.
Avella described state repression against leftist leaders and activists, noting that the persecution affected both young and old. He recounted experiences of semi-clandestinity, surveillance, and harassment, and recalled that for decades the country was under almost permanent states of siege, which limited political participation.
He also addressed the impact of April 19, 1970, when alleged electoral fraud favoring Misael Pastrana over Gustavo Rojas Pinilla generated discontent and a sense of powerlessness among broad sectors of society. Avella linked this event to the radicalization of some movements and the subsequent formation of the Patriotic Union, highlighting the importance of union and social organization in the midst of repression.