Colombia’s U Party refused to accept the resignation of the party president Wednesday, due to debate over the creation of a government body that would have the right to change the constitution.
The decision by the liberal-conservative U Party caucus means Juan Lozano will continue in his role as party president for two more weeks. The party is currently lobbying to establish a national constituent assembly, which, if implemented, can serve as a mechanism to amend the constitution.
Senior U Party officials allegedly offered the soon-to-be vacant post to current Senate President Roy Barreras, who declined, claiming his schedule would not permit the time required to fulfill the responsibility, W Radio reported Wednesday.
The U Party will hold a meeting later this week to do away with the single-party-head structure and elect a new collective leadership.
Lozano announced his resignation on April 26 and was expected to leave his post this week. “I’m leaving by choice, because I’m tired and I want to do other things,” Lozano commented.
Lozano, a Bogota journalist and lawyer, has been the general director of the U Party since 2010. He first served as a senior presidential adviser and then as minister for environment, housing and land development under former President Alvaro Uribe.