The Colombian Government is not amused by the Catholic Church’s rejection of a possible re-election of President Álvaro Uribe.
Both bishop Ruben Salazar as Archbishop Pedro Rubiano turned against a possible third term for the current President.
Salazar said in March that “it is better that he [Uribe] does not aspire a new re-election, because a country needs change. It is not good to affect the democracy.”
This was supported by the archbishop who said “it is important that the President does not aspire a third term.”
Interior and Justice Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio, in charge of pushing the constitutional change needed for the re-election, said “it is better not to enter in such disputes” with the church, adding that “in the Church, both the Pope and the bishops and cardinals are chosen for life.”
The Government and the coalition parties in Congress want to change the constitution to allow Álvaro Uribe a third term, which according to the current constitutional laws is not possible.
