Daniel Quintero

Quintero was elected Mayor of Medellin in October 2019 while running under the banner of the political movement Independientes (Independents). He won office with a record number of votes and at the age of 39 will become the youngest ever mayor of Medellín,

During his phase as a candidate to the position of Mayor of Medellin in 2019, he received threats from some of the local criminal organizations.

In the 2018 presidential elections, Quintero campaigned for Humberto de la Calle, the candidate for the Liberal Party and key participant in the Peace Process that had recently resulted in a historical peace agreement between the Government and FARC (Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces). The peace process required a national referendum which Quintero strongly supported and actively campaigned for. Upon Humberto de la Calle's defeat in the first round of the presidential elections, Quintero went on to support and campaign for the controversial leader of the Colombia Humana Party, Gustavo Petro.

In March 2015, Quintero was appointed as the CEO of INNpulsa Colombia, a government agency focused on promoting productivity, entrepreneurship and innovation in Colombia. He served in that position until July 2016, when he was called by the then President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, to serve as the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy in the Ministry of Information, Technologies and Communications (TIC).

In the 2014 national elections Quintero ran for a seat in Congress (House of Representatives) representing Bogotá D.C. under the support of the Liberal Party. He launched his campaign by jumping off a bridge while hanging of a rock climbing rope. While jumping, the candidate proclaimed: 'I feel Liberal'; again, a play on a form of the Spanish word 'libre', meaning 'free'.

In 2013, Quintero founded the Tomate Party, a movement that reached 80,000 followers and was fueled by 90,000 businesses collectively. 'Tomate' being a play on the word 'tómate', the Spanish expression for 'take it', which aimed at inviting ordinary citizens to 'take' responsibility and engage in the political process. Their campaign tactics were, of course, 'tomatadas' (protesting by throwing tomatoes), 'cacerolazos' (protesting by beating on frying pans), the 'cicladas' and several other pacific representations. The message was environmental, political awareness, education and cultural expressions. The party did not achieve political representation because of it was unable to raise $230 million Pesos to reach the required threshold applicable to local elections.

In 2011, Quintero travelled to the Unites States again to pursue postgraduate studies at Boston University, Massachusetts. There he earned a master's degree in Business Administration(MBA) a year later.

In 2009, Quintero travelled to the United States in order to complete a short course in Public Financial Management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

In 2007, Quintero commenced his political career when he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Medellín Council under the support of the Conservative Party.

Between 2004 and 2008, Quintero also completed further specialization studies in applied finance at University of The Andes, Bogotá.

In January 2004, Quintero founded a software development company (Intrasoft S.A.) and served as its CEO until 2012.

Over the next 4 years Quintero attempted to resume his university studies several times but was still unable to afford his ongoing tuition fees. Eventually an employee in the university enrollments office took pity on him and generously offered to pay his tuition fees. Quintero finally resumed his studies in 1999 and in 2004 earned his undergraduate degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Antioquia, Medellín.

Daniel Quintero Calle was born on July 26, 1980, in Medellín (Colombia). He is an engineer and political activist who went on to become the youngest elected Mayor of Medellín in October 2019.