Colombian parliamentary election, 1990

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Parliamentary elections were held in Colombia on 11 March 1990 alongside local elections and an unofficial referendum on electing a Constitutional Assembly. [1] [2]

Colombia Country in South America

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a sovereign state largely situated in the northwest of South America, with territories in Central America. Colombia shares a border to the northwest with Panama, to the east with Venezuela and Brazil and to the south with Ecuador and Peru. It shares its maritime limits with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Colombia is a unitary, constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments, with the capital in Bogota.

Contents

Background

After the murder of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán in August 1989, students started a movement calling for a referendum "for peace and democracy" to be held on 21 January 1990. However, under pressure from drug cartels, the government rejected the proposal. The students then set up the "We can still save Colombia" movement, which called for a referendum alongside the general elections on 11 March 1990 on establishing a Constitutional Assembly.

Luis Carlos Galán Colombian politician

Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento was a Colombian liberal politician and journalist who ran for the Presidency of Colombia on two occasions, the first time for the political movement New Liberalism that he founded in 1979. The movement was an offspring of the mainstream Colombian Liberal Party, and with mediation of former Liberal president Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala, Galan returned to the Liberal party in 1989 and sought the nomination for the 1990 presidential election.

Whilst the referendum campaign remained unofficial, it was encouraged by the Ministry of Government. Voters cast votes with six ballots for various levels of government. The campaign encouraged them to add a seventh ballot, "la séptima papeleta", with their referendum vote on it. [3]

Campaign

The campaign was marked by violence from left- and right-wing paramilitary groups linked to drug cartels. Several politicians were killed. Two days before the election the 19th of April Movement signed a peace treaty with the government and participated in the elections. [1]

19th of April Movement Colombian guerrilla movement

The 19th of April Movement or M-19, was a Colombian guerrilla movement. After its demobilization it became a political party, the M-19 Democratic Alliance, or AD/M-19.

Results

Senate

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Liberal Party 4,470,85358.666+8
Social Conservative Party 2,383,36331.238–5
Conservative National Movement 147,9531.91New
Communist Party 35,2740.50New
Metapolitical Unitary Movement 23,2640.30New
National Popular Alliance 4920.00New
Coalitions of parties358,2464.77
Other parties207,4582.72
Invalid/blank votes27,247
Total7,654,150100114+2
Registered voters/turnout13,793,56655.5
Source: Nohlen

Chamber of Representatives

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Liberal Party 4,500,98559.2119+21
Social Conservative Party 2,381,89831.362–18
Conservative National Movement 148,0461.93New
Patriotic Union 26,6820.41–2
Metapolitical Unitary Movement 22,5710.30New
National Popular Alliance 6010.00New
Coalitions of parties301,6594.010
Other parties219,9512.94
Invalid/blank votes29,301
Total7,631,6941001990
Registered voters/turnout13,793,56655.3
Source: Nohlen

Referendum

ChoiceVotes%
For2,235,49395
Against117,0005
Invalid/blank votes
Total100
Registered voters/turnout
Source: Direct Democracy

Aftermath

Following the unofficial referendum, President Virgilio Barco Vargas issued decree 927 on 3 May calling for a referendum on electing a Constitutional Assembly alongside the presidential elections on 27 May. Although this was in violation of article 218 of the constitution, which gave Congress sole rights to reform the constitution, the referendum was approved by the Supreme Court. [4] The Assembly was elected in December 1990, and produced the 1991 constitution.

Virgilio Barco Vargas President of Colombia

Virgilio Barco Vargas was a Colombian politician and civil engineer who served as the 27th President of Colombia serving from 7 August 1986 to 7 August 1990.

Colombian Constitution of 1886

The Colombian Constitution of 1886 was the constitution that created the Republic of Colombia. Before 1886, the country was called United States of Colombia. The coalition of moderate Liberals and Conservatives that ended the liberal hegemony and placed Rafael Nuñez in power repealed the Constitution of Rionegro and substituted the constitution of 1886. From then on, the country was officially called the Republic of Colombia.

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