Democracy Update

This post will be to the point, as I have already stated most of my opinions on the matter in my previous post. I have just learned that the Colombian Constitutional Court struck down a referendum, 7-2, that would have allowed for a vote to extend the presidential term-limit to three, instead of the rule of two already in place. The proposal had already won the support of the Colombian Parliament. President Alvaro Uribe, who initiated the referendum, said he "accepts and respects the court's decision."

Only five years ago, Uribe won a referendum to extend the term limit to its current two terms, from its previous one. Uribe enjoys a poly-million dollar relationship with the U.S., government, and widespread popularity in the country, despite his image being tarnished by scandals over human rights and the wire-tapping of political opponents. The U.S. contributes money to the Colombian military to help combat drug cartels, and a left-wing insurgency known as FARC.

Lead Justice Mauricio Gonzalez, who led the opposition to the referendum, stated that it constituted "substantial violations to the democratic principle." 

I would agree. Despite the fact that Uribe has done a generally good job in working towards solutions to the country's problems, a third term is too much to ask. Like it or not, he must pass the torch to someone else, and the court did an admirable job of recognizing this. Furthermore, with his current popularity, It is almost certain that the voters will elect a new president who share's Uribe's views, and with any tact he will find his own equivalent to Roosevelt's Taft to continue "his policies". 

The fact that the court did not allow this move, and Uribe has, to this point, accepted the decision demonstrates the current strength of the country's government, perhaps in contrast with that of neighbor Venezuela. I do wonder why Uribe would even introduce such a referendum, after the fierce reaction to a similar one in Honduras, but I recognize that the political climate in each respective country is quite different.