The Council of State annuls the election of Senate vice presidents for violating minority and gender equality rules.

On the evening of May 8, it was learned that the Council of State annulled the election of Senators John Jairo Roldán Avendaño (Liberal Party) and Josué Alirio Barrera Rodríguez (Democratic Center) as first and second vice presidents of the Senate for the 2024-2025 legislative period.

The decision was made after considering that rules guaranteeing the participation of political minorities and gender equality had been violated.

" The first vice presidency is reserved for minority parties ," the Fifth Section of the high court recalled. However, Senator Roldán belongs to the Liberal Party, a party that won 13 seats in the Senate, making it the third largest party.

" The Liberal Party cannot be considered a minority ," the Court concluded, noting that the participation of minorities in the governing bodies of Congress must be guaranteed.

Regarding Barrera's election, the Council of State emphatically pointed out that the principle of gender alternation, which requires opposition parties to alternate men and women in the second vice presidency of the Senate, was violated .

" For the third consecutive time in the 2022-2026 four-year term, a male senator represents the opposition in the second vice presidency ," the ruling stated. This occurred despite the fact that the Democratic Center party had four eligible female senators.

"Alternating is not a possibility, it is a legal obligation," the Court emphasized.

The decision nullifies the minutes of the July 20, 2024, session in which Roldán and Barrera were elected. The Senate must hold a new election that complies with the principles of political pluralism and gender equality.

On July 20, 2024, the date on which the Senate's governing board election was held, there was controversy over the Democratic Center's nomination of Alirio Barrera for the second vice presidency. According to Cambio Radical Senator Carlos Fernando Motoa, the party should have chosen a woman, respecting the parity required for that position. " It would be up to a woman to occupy that position ," he asserted.

The discussion at that time opened the way for other objections, such as that of MIRA Senator Carlos Guevara, who called for recognition of minorities in the first vice presidency.

Juan Diego Torres and Juan Pablo Penagos