US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA12290

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Identifier:	04BOGOTA12290
Wikileaks:	View 04BOGOTA12290 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Bogota
Created:	2004-12-01 19:29:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags:	PGOV CO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS BOGOTA 012290 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: DNG: 12/01/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, CO 
SUBJECT:  REELECTION PASSES HOUSE 
 
 
1.  (U) On November 30, the House of Representatives 
approved legislation to reform the Constitution to permit 
Presidential reelection (two terms maximum).  Each article 
of the legislation was voted and passed in the range of 
100-115 (of 166 total members) in favor.  The only 
remaining legislative step is a conference committee 
process, which must take place by December 15. 
Subsequently, the nine-member Constitutional Court will 
review the legislation on procedural grounds.  The Court 
will recess from mid-December until early February, and 
its decision is not expected prior to mid-February.  The 
next Presidential election will occur in May 2006. 
 
2.  (SBU) The conference committee will determine whether 
or not to maintain the prohibition on officials elected in 
2003 (including the mayor of Bogota) running for President 
in 2006.  Our Congressional contacts are confident the 
status quo will prevail.  How the conference committee 
handles the legislation could affect the Constitutional 
Court's review process.  While the Court did strike down 
anti-terrorism legislation earlier this year, the margin 
of passage in the House on that legislation was one vote. 
 
WOOD