Belisario Betancur Conservative Virgilio Barco Vargas Liberal

[1] The result was a victory for Virgilio Barco Vargas of the Liberal Party, who received 58% of the vote.

Barco Vargas's campaign promised land reform and economic revitalization, including jobs and housing for the poor.

[2] One of the issues in the campaign where the on-going negotiations with Colombian guerilla groups.

[2] The elections took place shortly after the March 1986 parliamentary elections, in which Barco Vargas' Liberal Party won a majority of seats.