Coalition party de la U wants an international rapporteur to observe
Colombia’s Congress now it is being “intimidated and threatened” by the
country’s Supreme Court and opposition.
De la U president Luis Carlos Restrepo said Tuesday he will request a rapporteur at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to guarantee Congress can continue doing its work.
The Colombian Government and their coalition partners in Congress have clashed with the Supreme Court on several cases after the country’s highest judicial body started dozens of investigations into the alleged ties between paramilitary death squads and lawmakers, most of whom belong to the coalition.
The wish of the coalition to change the constitution and allow President Alvaro Uribe a third term is being hindered by the Court, that decided to start a preliminary into all members of congress who allegedly illegally voted in favor of a referendum needed to allow the president a second re-election.
Restrepo, whose party has the most Congressmen investigated for alleged paramilitary ties, earlier asked to re-install parliamentary immunity. The initiative was adopted by the government, but is severely criticized.
The Partido de la U leader also announced he wants the Inter-American Human Rights Court to speak out on the Government’s request to allow Congressmen who are criminally investigated by the Supreme Court the right to appeal. Because investigations are now carried out by the country’s highest judicial body, Congressmen have no possibility to appeal a sentence.
The international offensive by the Partido de la U comes now that, according to Restrepo, anti-Uribistas are trying to “sabotage the process to maintain the policy of Democratic Security.”