MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombian Church openly against third period for President Uribe

President Uribe must decide by the end of the month

The Colombian Catholic Church said that two consecutive mandates for President Alvaro Uribe “have been and are too much”, and recommended the leader takes a well earned rest and clear all uncertainties about his possible re-election again in 2010.

Cardinal Pedro Rubiano, Archbishop of Bogotá said that finished his second mandate, Mr. Uribe should leave and later on “he can again present himself”.

“I appreciate President Uribe very much. Two periods have been and are too much. It’s a great job he has done for the good of the country and for peace. But it would be better for him that once his second mandate is over, he leaves”, pointed out Cardinal Rubiano.

He urged President Uribe to decide swiftly whether he plans to remain or moves aside and gives new generations of politicians a chance.

“He has to make a decision in the coming days, but I hope and expect he will say no. I believe a third re-election is not convenient for him or for Colombia”.

Uribe was first elected in 2002 for four years, but later reformed the Constitution to allow for an only re-election period. He then again presented in 2006 and won by a landslide, basically on his success with law and order and combating the decades-long drugs-financed guerrilla movements.

However a group of his followers has presented an initiative for a referendum which would again review the Colombian constitution and give the green light for a third re-election in 2010.

Another bishop was also involved in the debate. Monsignor Nel Beltran, bishop to Sincelejo recommended the president to seek advice from wise people, “who can give him the best counselling” and suggested “much common sense for the moment when the decision is taken at the end of the month”.

“There’s a terrible polarization in Colombia, and polarizations have caused great pain and sufferings to the country. We must stop thinking whether “we are with” or “against”, because those “with and against” could trigger violence which then becomes unstoppable” warned Monsignor Nel Beltran.

Apparently according to Colombian political analysts, President Uribe who has been Washington’s staunchest ally in South America received a similar suggestion when he recently visited the US Congress and US State Department.

Re-election has become a controversial issue in South America. The current political crisis in Honduras was triggered by such an attempt; Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela pushed through with referendums to have such an option, but in Brazil president Lula da Silva, the most popular leader in decades, cut the idea from its roots and so did Uruguay’s Tabare Vazquez with the simple re-election.

“One re-election is understandable but two is monarchy”, said Lula da Silva.