Government & politics — Colombia

• history: several previous;
• latest promulgated 4 July 1991 amendments: proposed by the government, by Congress, by a constituent assembly, or by public petition; passage requires a majority vote by Congress in each of two consecutive sessions; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on citizen rights, guarantees, and duties also require approval in a referendum by over one half of voters and participation of over one fourth of citizens registered to vote; amended many times, last in 2020

• chief of state: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022); Vice President Francia Elena MÁRQUEZ Mina (since 7 August 2022); the president is
• both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (since 7 August 2022); Vice President Francia Elena MÁ
• Cabinet appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 29 May 2022 with a runoff held on 19 June 2022 (next to be held on 31 May 2026); note - political refor
• m in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection election results: 2022: Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (PHxC) 40.3%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suárez (LIGA) 28.2%, Federico GUTIÉRREZ Zuluaga (Team for Colombia / CREEMOS) 23.9%, other 7.6%; percent of vote in second round - Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego 50.4%, Rodolfo HERNÁNDEZ Suarez 47.3%, blank 2.3% 2018: Iván DUQUE Márquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Iván DUQUE Márquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo Francisco PETRO Urrego (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%

Description

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of: Senate or Senado (108 seats; 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party, formerly the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC), for 2 legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (188 seats; 162 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for Afro-Colombians, 1 member elected by Colombians residing abroad, 1 member elected in a special nationwide constituency for the indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party for two legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, 16 seats for rural conflict victims for two legislative terms only: 2022-2026 and 2026-2030, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up vice presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms)

Elections

• Senate - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026)

Election Results

• - Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition- PHxC 16.9%, PC 13.1%, PL 12.4%, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11.5%, CD 11.4%, CR 9.4%, U Party 8.8%, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 3.4%, other 13.1%
• seats by party/coalition

Composition

• PHxC- 20, PC 15, PL 14, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 13, CD 13, CR 11, U Party 10, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 4
• men 71, women 29, percent of women 29.9% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition- PHxC 17.6%, PL 14%, PC 12.4%, CD 10.2% U Party 8.6%, CR 7.9%, Green Alliance 6.5%, others 22.4%
• seats by party/coalition - PL 32, PHxC 27, CP 25, CD 16, CR 16, U Party 15, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11, others 24
• composition as of January 2024 - men 115, women 50, percent of women 30.3%
• total Congress percent of women 29.2%

Description

bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of: Senate or Senado (108 seats; 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party, formerly the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC), for 2 legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (188 seats; 162 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for Afro-Colombians, 1 member elected by Colombians residing abroad, 1 member elected in a special nationwide constituency for the indigenous communities, 5 members of the Commons political party for two legislative terms only: 2018-2022 and 2022-2026 as per the 2016 peace accord, 16 seats for rural conflict victims for two legislative terms only: 2022-2026 and 2026-2030, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up vice presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms)

Elections

• Senate - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 13 March 2022 (next to be held in March 2026)

Election Results

• - Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition- PHxC 16.9%, PC 13.1%, PL 12.4%, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11.5%, CD 11.4%, CR 9.4%, U Party 8.8%, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 3.4%, other 13.1%
• seats by party/coalition

Composition

• PHxC- 20, PC 15, PL 14, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 13, CD 13, CR 11, U Party 10, MIRA–Colombia Free and Just Coalition 4
• men 71, women 29, percent of women 29.9% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition- PHxC 17.6%, PL 14%, PC 12.4%, CD 10.2% U Party 8.6%, CR 7.9%, Green Alliance 6.5%, others 22.4%
• seats by party/coalition - PL 32, PHxC 27, CP 25, CD 16, CR 16, U Party 15, Green Alliance and Center Hope Coalition 11, others 24
• composition as of January 2024 - men 115, women 50, percent of women 30.3%
• total Congress percent of women 29.2%

• highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of the Civil-Agrarian and Labor Chambers each with 7 judges, and the Penal Chamber with 9 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 magistrates); Council of State (consists of 27 judges); Superior Judiciary Council (c
• onsists of 13 magistrates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Supreme Court members from candidates submitted by the Superior Judiciary Council; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Constitutional Court magistrates - nominated by the president, by the Supreme Court, and elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Council of State members appointed by the State Council plenary from lists n
• ominated by the Superior Judiciary Council subordinate courts: Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts

32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital) Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada

• Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Alexander LOPEZ Maya]
• Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC [Angel ALIRIO Moreno] (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN)
• The Commons (formerly People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC) [Rodrigo LONDONO Echeverry]
• Conservative Party or PC [Carlos Andres TRUJILLO]
• Democratic Center Party or CD [Alvaro URIBE Velez]
• Fair and Free Colombia (Colombia Justa Libres) [Eduardo Canas Estrada and Ricardo Arias Mora]
• Green Alliance [Claudia LOPEZ Hernandez]
• Historic Pact for Colombia or PHxC (coalition composed of several left-leaning political parties and social movements)
• Humane Colombia [Gustavo PETRO]
• Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation or MIRA [Carlos Eduardo GUEVARA]
• League of Anti-Corruption Rulers or LIGA [Rodolfo HERNANDEZ Suarez]
• Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA]
• People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC [Rodrigo LONDONO Echeverry]
• Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras]
• Team for Colombia - also known as the Experience Coalition or Coalition of the Regions (coalition composed of center-right and right-wing parties)
• Union Party for the People or U Party [Dilian Francisca TORO]
• We Believe Colombia or CREEMOS [Federico GUTIERREZ]
• Note: Colombia has numerous smaller political parties and movements

• no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen
• yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

BCIE, BIS, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, PROSUR, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Francisco L. PALMIERI (since 1 June 2022) embassy: Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota mailing address: 3030 Bogota Place, Washington DC 20521-3030

telephone

[57] (1) 275-2000

FAX

[57] (1) 275-4600

Email address and website

• ACSBogota@state.gov
• https://co.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission

Ambassador Luis Gilberto MURILLO URRUTIA (since 16 September 2022)

chancery

1724 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone

[1] (202) 387-8338

FAX

[1] (202) 232-8643

Email address and website

• eestadosunidos@cancilleria.gov.co
• https://www.colombiaemb.org/

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC consulate(s): Boston, Chicago, San Francisco