Colombia

The International Republican Institute (IRI) has been working in Colombia to strengthen political parties and democratic processes since January 2006. IRI’s current program rests on three principal components: fostering issue-based and representative political parties; strengthening Congress’ ability to represent people’s needs and problem-solve more effectively; and building the capacities of key constituent groups to influence politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on Afro-Colombians.

Political Party Assistance

IRI provides training to Colombian political parties on platform development, constituent outreach and grass-roots party development. IRI is currently working with parties to help them make the transition away from personality-based politics, differentiate themselves along substantive lines, and develop strong policy agendas that respond to pressing national problems, mainly citizen security, political exclusion and social inequality. Training is provided to parties to help them focus and conduct research, strengthen internal consensus, work with the government and other parties, and come up with policies and strategies that can be executed in Congress to address these issues.

IRI is also working with national level party leaders and elected officials to help connect them with their grassroots counterparts and constituents, and discuss their policy proposals within local contexts. IRI party assistance focuses on targeted localities in the country where citizens have the most to benefit from a strengthened state presence and delivery of social services, including Chocó, the Atlantic Coast and Sierra Nevada, the Valle del Cauca, Putumayo and Norte de Santander.

Legislative Strengthening

IRI’s assistance to Colombia’s National Congress aims to promote and encourage constituency service. In 2006, IRI carried out legislative training seminars to help Colombia’s senators and deputies strengthen their capacity and incentive to promote legislative reforms and deliver services that respond to citizens’ needs. Training was also provided to strengthen the capabilities of top congressional staff in the areas of communications, research, organization, constituency relations and application of new technologies.

IRI hosted a delegation of Colombian legislators to Washington, D.C. in September 2006. The delegation, led by Colombian Senate President Dilian Francisca Toro and House Speaker Alfredo Cuello Baute, visited with their counterparts in the U.S. Congress to learn first hand how the U.S. Congressional system functions. The delegation also met with officials from the executive branch, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to discuss issues of bilateral interest, including the pending Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the United States.

As a follow-up program to this visit, IRI is supporting the creation of district offices for several congressmen to facilitate and manage strong constituency service operations, and promote interest in the benefits of organized, non-patronage-based constituency service.

Afro-Colombians

IRI is helping to build an effective Afro-Colombian Caucus in Colombia’s National Congress. Afro-Colombians comprise nearly 26 percent of the country’s 45 million people, yet they are the most marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society. They are largely poor, lack access to education and health care, and are underrepresented in the nation's socio-economic, cultural and political life. Furthermore, Afro-Colombians are disproportionately affected by the country’s ongoing civil conflict between leftist insurgent groups, right wing paramilitaries and the national army.

One of the principal objectives of IRI’s program is to empower Afro-Colombian legislators to become strong and viable players on the national stage so that they can effectively influence politics and address these conditions. IRI is currently working with the Afro-Colombian legislators to help strengthen the organizational and strategic capacity of the caucus, build consensus between congressmen, and help connect the caucus to its constituents. Through technical trainings, town hall meetings, national-level programs and the Afro-Colombian Caucus website, IRI is assisting Afro-Colombian leaders to develop proposals at the national level to address the inequalities facing their constituents.

As part of this effort, IRI is working with the Congressional Black Caucus in the United States to provide know-how and strategic counsel to the emerging Afro-Colombian Caucus. IRI is also working with Afro-Colombian civil society leaders and regional and local authorities to build broader consensus and exposure for the caucus’ ideas and legislation.

Colombia declared its independence from Spain in 1813 and became widely recognized for developing one of the longest and most stable democratic traditions in Latin America. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Colombia withstood the waves of military dictatorship that shook other countries in the region and retained its commitment to regular, free elections and constitutional civilian rule. Even today, as democracy and free market systems fall at risk in other Latin American countries, Colombia remains dedicated to democratic institutions, making it a critical player in the hemisphere’s geopolitical landscape and a strong ally of the United States.

This relative political stability notwithstanding, Colombia’s democracy and global reputation continues to be under siege from a decades-long violent conflict involving leftist insurgency groups and right-wing paramilitaries, drug cartels and the country’s military forces. Following President Andres Pastrana’s (1998-2002) failed effort to negotiate peace with the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), his successor, Alvaro Uribe, launched a hard-line policy of democratic defense and security to expand the presence of the military throughout the country and put the guerilla group back on the defensive.

While the tough stance taken by President Uribe has made advances in improving Colombia’s security situation and restoring Colombians’ confidence in government institutions, a lasting peace still seems far off. Outside of the Colombia’s main urban centers, large swathes of territory are affected by a continuing conflict and serious social crisis. Violence by armed groups and a continuing weak state presence in these areas has led to mass internal displacement, human rights violations, deteriorating provision of basic public services and stifled democratic competition.

Following the passage of a constitutional amendment to allow a sitting president to seek re-election, President Uribe was voted into office for a second term by an overwhelming majority of Colombians in May 2006. As he embarks on his second term, Uribe faces the challenge of consolidating the gains achieved under his first administration and ending the threats to democratic stability posed by Colombia's brutal and protracted civil war.

To address Colombia’s social crisis and thereby make achievements in security felt nationwide, stronger political and governmental institutions are needed to identify and deliver on the needs of citizens. Fundamental to this equation is the development of more issue-based and responsive political parties. Currently, Colombian political parties lack institutionalization and carefully articulated party platforms and are one of the institutions that have bred the most mistrust and apathy among citizens. This widespread disenchantment with political parties stems from the historical personalization of politics and a culture of unaccountability in Colombia.

Effective democratic competition between political parties has been lacking in Colombia since the creation of the National Front, under which the historically dominant Liberal and Conservative parties governed jointly from 1957-1978. Constitutional reforms enacted in 1991 resulted in a major shift away from the traditional two-party system that had characterized Colombia’s political system for more than a century. An extreme multiparty system was established that gave rise to the legal existence of more than 70 political parties and movements. Although these reforms made headway in fostering political decentralization and broadening political participation in Colombia, an increasingly fragmented and corrupt political system generated serious challenges to governance and effective policymaking. It was impossible for citizens to know what each party stood for and who was representing their interests.

As a result of a political reform law passed in 2003, Congressional elections held in March 2006 saw the number of legal political parties fall to 16, with groupings loyal to President Uribe now controlling both chambers of congress. This dramatic consolidation of political parties provides Colombians an opportunity to create a stronger and more accountable political system critical to a peaceful resolution of the country’s ongoing civil conflict.

Political Overview

Chief of State: President Alvaro Uribe Velez

Type of Government: republic

Suffrage: universal, age 18

Elections Calendar

Program Overview

Focus of Program: political party and legislative strengthening

Funding Source: United States Agency for International Development