Why Colombia’s ex-President Petro had to get senate approval to leave the country
The request was submitted by the former president to Congress on August 10. The post Why Colombia’s ex-President Petro had to get senate approval to leave the country appeared first on The Bogotá Post .
On August 12, the Colombian Senate approved, with a 73-11 vote, a measure permitting opposition leader Gustavo Petro to travel abroad without further authorization over the next 12 months. The Senate's decision came after Petro submitted a letter to Congress on August 10, citing personal, social, political, and academic commitments as the reason for his intended departure.
Article 196 of Colombia's constitution stipulates that former presidents, or those serving as acting president, must obtain Senate approval before leaving the country within a year of their term ending.
Petro's request secured support from both traditional parties and opposition parties to the Historic Pact, the political party he leads. The agreement included an arrangement between Centro Democrático, led by former right-wing President Álvaro Uribe, and Petro, contingent upon his obligation to inform the Senate of the date and destination of each trip.
Petro, in a social media post, clarified that he had no pending judicial matters in either Colombia or the United States. He stated that seeking Senate permission for travel during the first year of his presidency was a constitutional requirement for any ex-president.
The decision met with criticism from various political factions. The Salvación Nacional caucus, a far-right party that backed current President Abelardo de la Espriella, the Cambio Radical caucus, which supports the current administration, and Senator Jota P. Hernández from the Alianza Verde party all voted against the measure.
Uribe addressed the objections from his party members and supporters via video, asserting that all former presidents have this permission, emphasizing that it was an institutional requirement and not a judicial one. He argued that there was no legal basis to deny Petro this right, as it would infringe upon his fundamental right to freedom of movement.
Responding to the criticism, Petro maintained his stance on X, asserting that individuals have the right to travel wherever invited, and that negative sentiments towards him should not preclude him from exercising this right.
Written by urgent.news from The Bogotá Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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