Colombian Coalition party Partido de la U demands the resignation of
Interior and Justice Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio as a crisis seems
to be unfolding within the coalition following the setbacks in the the
attempts to seek a re-election of President Alvaro Uribe, local media report.
The Partido de la U, within the coalition the most consistent in its support for the president, feels betrayed by coalition party Cambio Radical, that, against a convenant with the government, prevented a De la U Representative to become president of the House of Representatives.
The party also criticizes Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio of having mishandled the Congressional votes on a referendum needed to demand a constitutional change that would make it possible for President Alvaro Uribe to be re-elected for the second time.
Many Uribe supporters in Congress fear the constitutional change won’t make it after the Supreme Court started an investigation into the possible illegal approval of the bill by the House and delays that may make it impossible for the referendum to be held on time.
The party now threatens to completely bury the re-election project, which would mean Alvaro Uribe would have to leave office in 2010 and the pary will support former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos as presidential candidate.