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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Uribe fails in Colombia term bid | Uribe fails in Colombia term bid |
| (6 minutes later) | |
| Constitutional judges in Colombia have rejected a bid to allow President Alvaro Uribe to stand for a third term in office. | |
| The court voted 7-2 against a proposal backed by parliament to hold a referendum on amending the constitution to allow for three terms. | |
| Mr Uribe won an amendment in 2005 that let him run for a second term in 2006. | Mr Uribe won an amendment in 2005 that let him run for a second term in 2006. |
| The president had not said he hoped to stand in the 30 May election but analysts expected that he would. | The president had not said he hoped to stand in the 30 May election but analysts expected that he would. |
| Mr Uribe remains popular after pursuing aggressive military action against leftist Farc rebels, and no strong challengers to him have emerged. | Mr Uribe remains popular after pursuing aggressive military action against leftist Farc rebels, and no strong challengers to him have emerged. |
| Popular policy | Popular policy |
| Last year, Colombia's Senate and House of Representatives overwhelmingly backed the proposed amendment on term limits. | Last year, Colombia's Senate and House of Representatives overwhelmingly backed the proposed amendment on term limits. |
| We cannot change direction, we cannot have a change of guard Alvaro UribeColombian President Profile: Alvaro Uribe Velez | We cannot change direction, we cannot have a change of guard Alvaro UribeColombian President Profile: Alvaro Uribe Velez |
| "Whoever has been elected president of the republic for two constitutional terms can be elected solely for one other term," it states. | "Whoever has been elected president of the republic for two constitutional terms can be elected solely for one other term," it states. |
| Correspondents say that any candidate chosen to replace the president from among his allies would continue his Democratic Security Policy, the foundation of his popularity. | Correspondents say that any candidate chosen to replace the president from among his allies would continue his Democratic Security Policy, the foundation of his popularity. |
| "Those policies have to be re-elected whatever the decision of the court," Mr Uribe said on Thursday evening. | "Those policies have to be re-elected whatever the decision of the court," Mr Uribe said on Thursday evening. |
| "We cannot change direction, we cannot have a change of guard." | "We cannot change direction, we cannot have a change of guard." |
| Critics have said that allowing Mr Uribe to stand again might threaten democracy. | Critics have said that allowing Mr Uribe to stand again might threaten democracy. |
| His second term has been marred by scandals over human rights abuses by troops and the illegal wiretapping of his opponents by the state intelligence agency. | His second term has been marred by scandals over human rights abuses by troops and the illegal wiretapping of his opponents by the state intelligence agency. |
| On Wednesday, police re-arrested a cousin and close ally of the president, former senator Mario Uribe Escobar, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged links between politicians and right-wing paramilitary groups. | On Wednesday, police re-arrested a cousin and close ally of the president, former senator Mario Uribe Escobar, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged links between politicians and right-wing paramilitary groups. |
| More than 60 politicians are still in jail in connection with the case known as the "para-political" scandal. | More than 60 politicians are still in jail in connection with the case known as the "para-political" scandal. |