Eight Cambio Radical congressmen who support the 2010 re-election of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe have left their party to join Partido de la U. Cambio Radical opposes an immediate re-election.
Partido de la U leader Luis Carlos Restrepo confirmed the "desertion" of the congressmen and announced the three senators and five representatives were officially integrated into his party.
Cambio Radical wants its own leader, German Vargas Lleras, to run for the 2010 presidency and opposes the referendum that calls for the possibility of Uribe to run for a third term in 2010.
The House of Representatives is expect to vote on the re-election referendum on Tuesday. The five former Cambio Radical lawmakers will vote with De la U in favor of this referendum.
