Colombian Lawmakers Pass Bill To Allow
Uribe's Re-election
Bogota - Colombia's Lower House passed a
bill late Tuesday aimed at allowing
President Alvaro Uribe to seek a third
consecutive term as the head of state.
Lawmakers have voted 85-5 with 76
abstentions in favor of a referendum on
whether to amend the constitution to allow a
second re-election for presidents. The bill,
which has already passed the Senate, must
now go to Colombia's Constitutional Court
for approval before a referendum can be
held.
Uribe, who enjoys a huge popularity for his
U.S.-backed campaign against leftist rebels,
has been evasive on whether he would like to
run for presidency for the third time in
2010.
The conservative Uribe was first elected in
2002, and easily won a re-election in 2006
after the Congress amended the constitution
to allow him to run for a second consecutive
four-year term.
The president enjoys a high approval rating
at home with his economic and security
policies, but views are split on his
re-election for worries that his three
consecutive terms would jeopardize the
country's democracy.
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