Supporters of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe say the referendum
seeking the re-election of the President can be saved if Uribe himself,
with the approval of the Senate, calls one.
According to newspaper El Espectador, the ‘Uribistas’ say that article 104 of the Colombian constitution allows the referendum to be organized without any support from the House of Representatives, where the bill is currently pending.
Article 104 says “the President of the Republic, with the signatures of all ministers and after approval of the Senate of the Republic, may consult the people on decisions of national importance. The decision of the people is obligatory.”
Based on this article, the supporters of the President say the problems of the referendum as it is organized now can be bypassed and the Colombian people can be asked to allow the constitutional change needed for a re-election.
The governing coalition in Congress has been trying to secure a third term of Uribe through a referendum since 2007. The current initiative encountered controversy over the financing and a possibly illegal approval in the House.