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Colombian court reinstates ousted Bogota mayor Petro Colombia president reinstates ousted Bogota mayor Petro
(about 4 hours later)
In the latest twist in a long-running legal battle, a court in Colombia has ordered that the ousted Bogota mayor, Gustavo Petro, be reinstated. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has reinstated the ousted Bogota mayor, Gustavo Petro, to his former office.
The Superior Tribunal of Bogota ordered President Juan Manuel Santos to reappoint Mr Petro within 48 hours. The decision by the president comes just a day after a court ordered him to reappoint Mr Petro within 48 hours.
The government has until Friday to appeal against the decision. The mayor was sacked by Colombia's inspector general in December over the alleged mismanagement of the capital's rubbish collection service.
Mr Petro was sacked by Colombia's inspector general in December over the alleged mismanagement of the capital's rubbish collection service. Mr Petro, a former left-wing rebel, had argued all along that his removal had been politically motivated.
Ex-rebel President Santos said that he was simply complying with Tuesday's court order.
"I've signed the decree reinstating Mayor Petro. My obligation, as president of the republic, is to follow the law and what the justices decide," he said.
The tribunal ruled that President Santos had acted wrongly when he had confirmed the removal from office of the left-wing mayor last month.The tribunal ruled that President Santos had acted wrongly when he had confirmed the removal from office of the left-wing mayor last month.
The court said the president should have heeded an 18 March ruling by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that said that Mr Petro's rights had been violated by being removed from his post. The court said the president should have heeded an 18 March ruling by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that said that Mr Petro's rights had been violated.
Mr Petro, a former rebel with the left-wing M-19 guerrilla group, welcomed the Superior Tribunal's surprise decision, saying it was a victory for his human rights and those of Bogota's citizens.
Mr Petro has maintained all along that his sacking was politically motivated.
Under the Colombian constitution, the inspector general has the power to remove officials from office, but such action is normally only taken in major corruption scandals.Under the Colombian constitution, the inspector general has the power to remove officials from office, but such action is normally only taken in major corruption scandals.
Mr Petro was accused of violating the principles of the free market by trying to have the city take over waste management services from private companies.Mr Petro was accused of violating the principles of the free market by trying to have the city take over waste management services from private companies.
But Mr Petro's supporters said his removal was totally out of proportion with the allegations made against him. But Mr Petro's supporters argued his removal was totally out of proportion with the allegations made against him.
They allege that Mr Petro was being targeted for his rebel past and his subsequent success in democratic politics. Mr Petro welcomed the president's announcement. He said he believed Mr Santos had been acting on wrong information when he sacked him and that his change of heart would be "lasting".