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Colombian court allows
president to run for 2nd term
The Colombian Constitutional
Court approved an election law
Friday that the country's
president Alvaro Uribe can run
for a second term in 2006,
official sources said on Friday.
The court ruled that last year's
Electoral Guarantees Law is
constitutional when it allows
sitting presidents to compete in
elections, Court President Jose
Manuel Cepeda said.
The decision removes the final
hurdle for Uribe, who has an
unprecedented approval rating of
70 percent, to put his name on
the ballot in next May's
presidential vote.
Tough policies against leftist
rebels and drug traffickers have
played alarge part in boosting
his popularity.
In the years since he came to
power, crime rates have dropped,
the economy has been on the
upswing and the army has pushed
the guerrillas from many oftheir
traditional strongholds.
Uribe was born in Medellin,
capital of the department of
Antioquia on July4, 1952. He was
the governor of Antioquia State
from 1995 to 1997 and senator
from 1986 to 1990 and 1990 to
1994. On Aug. 7, 2002, Uribe was
sworn thecountry's president for
the 2002-2006.
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