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Key Magistrate opposed to Uribe re-election

By Colombia Reports

Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Magistrate appointed by the Constitutional Court to examine the referendum seeking the re-election of Colombia President Alvaro Uribe wants the controversial initiative to be scrapped, Caracol Radio reported Thursday. 

Magistrate Humberto Sierra considers the process leading upto the referendum had "extremely serious" errors which render it unconstitutional.

In a document of some 400 pages Sierra identifies five major flaws in the referendum, in particular irregularities in its financing and its processing in Congress. 

While seeking the financing of the recollecting of signatures that called for a referendum, the organizers ignored existing financial caps that prevent private companies or persons to donate large quantities of money.

Following the recollection of signatures, the Senate changed the text of the referendum disregarding a previous vote in the House to not allow a change in formulation.

Sierra believes this change to be unconstitutional. Sierra wants the referendum to be declared unconstitutional due to errors in its processing, but did not comment on the constitutionality of a third term for Uribe.

A recent poll found that the referendum seeking the constitutional change necessary for Uribe to be eligible for a third presidential term has lost the approval of the majority of Colombians.

Colombia Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez came out in favor of the referendum, sparking much criticism. Prominent opponents of the referendum - who believe it to be unconstitutional - asked the Constitutional Court to hold public hearings on the issue.

Uribe's re-election bid depends on the ruling of the Constitutional Court, which is currently studying the bill, on whether there is enough time to organize the referendum and push through a constitutional change before the May elections, and on the turnout and result of the referendum.

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