In the context of the Latin American Encounter for Democratic Innovation that took place in the department of Nariño, Colombia, spearheaded by the Network of Political Innovation of Latin America and composed of 60 experts in political innovation from multiple countries in Latin America, DemocraciaAbierta interviewed governor Camilo Romero, well-known newscaster, journalist, and ex-senator, who is one of the pacesetters of political innovation in the region, and one of the hosts of the encounter.

Throughout the conversation, Camilo Romero, as governor of Nariño, a department with around 2 million inhabitants and one of the regions most devastated by the history of violence in Colombia, shares with us his reflections regarding three fundamental questions: 1) What role does political innovation play in public management?, 2) Why did the Encounter for Democratic Innovation take place in Nariño?, and 3) What is next in terms of political innovation in Nariño?.

Participants at the Encuentro Latinoamericano de Innovación Democrática in January 2017, in Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Under the leadership of governor Romero, the government of Nariño has been one of the pioneers in putting innovation and open government on the political agenda as cross-cutting issues for public management in both Colombia and Latin America. Here, Camilo shares with us his reflections about the different innovative ways in which governments should conduct politics.