DADMIN STANT ING U-cesst@nl potrricat consrivurion oF cotomsta © O4.~71 PREAMBLE ‘THE PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA, {In the exercise of ther sovereign power, represented by ther delegates to the National Consituent Assembly, Invoking the protection of God, end In order to strengthen the unity ofthe nation and ensure Rs members Ife, peaceful coestnce, Work, justice, equality, knowledge, freedom, and peace within legal, democratic, and participatory framework that may {quarantes a just poi, econome, and social order end commited to promote the Integration ofthe Latin American ‘communty, Decree, sanction, and promulgate the flowing: POLITICAL CONSTITUTION OF COLOMBIA [article 1. Colombia isa soci! State oF lw organized inthe form of a unitary republic, decentralized, wth the autonomy ‘ofits terval uns, democratic partlpatory and pluralist, based on respect of human aig, onthe werk and solidarity ‘ofthe Indviuals who belong to and the predominance ofthe general interest. [ticle 2. The essential goals ofthe State ae to serve the community, promote general prospey, and guarantee the effectiveness of the principles, rights, and dues stipulated bythe Constitution; to feciitate the patipetion of all nthe Gecisions that affect them and in the economic, potical, administrative, and cultural fe ofthe Nation; to defend national Independence, maintain terval integrity, and ensure peaceful coexistence and the enforcement of a ust ere “The authorities of the Republle are established in order to protect all persons residing in Colombia, thelr fe, dignity, property, bel, and other rights and fracdoms, and in order to ensure the fulfilment ofthe socal utes ofthe State and Inavidals. [Article 3, Sovereignty resides exclusively in the people from whom public power emanates. The people exerlse tin drect form or through thal representatives within the lis estabshed bythe Constitution. [Asticle 4, The Constitution fs the supreme Iw In al cases of compatiblity between the Constution and the law or eny ‘ther legislation or regulation, the consttutionl provisions wil eppy. Te th ty of eta an of ans n Cebit aie by he Cention an thes, respect ae obey he authors [Article 5. The State recognize, without any dlscrninaton whatsoever, the primacy ofthe inalnable rights of the person and protects the family as the basic institutlon of society. : [Astcle 6, Each person Is Indvidaly responsible before the authors fr violations of the Consttution and the las. Ci “servants are responable forthe same reason, and lkawise for omission or overreaching in the exercise of thelr funtion. [ticte 7, The State recognizes and protects the ethlc and cultural diversity of the Colombian nation. [Article 8,1 the obligation ofthe State and of Invidualsto protect the cutural and natural assets ofthe Nation.Article 9. The extemal relations ofthe State are based on national soverlgnty, on respect forthe se determination of Peoples, and onthe recagniton ofthe prinpes of international lw approved by Colombia. 1m the seme manner, the foreign policy of Colombia wil be oriented towed the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean. ‘Article 10, Spanish isthe offic! language of Colombia. The languages and calc of ethnic groups are alo ofc In thelr terories. The eduction provided in communities wit thelr own linguist traditions wil be biingual, Tmev ‘THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE CHAPTER 4 ‘THE STRUCTURE OF THE STATE Article 113, Branches of government are the legislative, the executive, and the judiry. ncadition tothe organs which constitute them, there are others, autonomous and independent, for the execution of other functions ofthe State, “The various organs ofthe State have separate functions but cooperate harmoniously forthe realaion of thelr goals. [Article 114, 1's the responsiblity ofthe Congress of the Republc to amend the Constution, pass laws, and exercise poll control over the government andthe puble administration ‘The Congress ofthe Repubic wil be composed ofthe Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. ‘Article 115. The Present of the Republic isthe chef of State, head of government, and supreme administrative authority. ‘The national government {s composed of the President of the Republic, the Cabinet ministers, and the directors of administrative departments, The President and the minster or director of the appropriate department, represent the government on any particular Issue. ‘No act ofthe Present, excet the appointment and dismissal of ministers and drectors of administrative depertments and those acts decreed in his capacty as head of State and supreme administrative author, wil have any value oF force whatever as long as Is not countersigned and communicated by the mister ofthe respective office or by the director of ‘the appropriate administrative department who, by vitue theref, become responsible fr the same ‘The governorates and meyoralties os well a the superntendences, public establishments, and industrial or commercial ‘enterprises of the State are part ofthe executive branch. ‘Article 126, The Constitutional Cour, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Counel of State, the Superior Counc! ofthe Jusicature, the Office ofthe Nation General Prosecutor, the courts, and judges all administer justice. The miley criminal Justice system also administers justice, “The Congress wil exercise speci judicial function. Excoptionally tho law may acign jrcction of ape subject erens to specifi! wuiinisfaiveauthorties. However, ty wil not be alowed to hold hearings of preliminary proceedings or eiminal proceedings. Incviduals may be invested on a temporary basis with the function of administering Justice as mediators or as qualified arbitrators by the parties involved to hand down verdicts whether at lw or in equity, within the limits determined by law, ‘Article 147. The Pubic instr and the Ofc ofthe Treasure Controle Inspector ofthe Reputl are control organs, ‘Atticle 140. The Pubic Ministry shall be exercised by the National Attorney Genera, the Peoples‘s Defender, the assigned ub prosecutors, and the agents ofthe Public Mistry before the legal authorities, as wel as by municipal "personeros”‘and other ofelals determined by the law. Its the responsibilty of the Public Mistry to defend and promote human rights, two protect the pubic interes, and to oversee the offidal conduct of those who perform pubic function. Article 129. The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic has the duty to oversee fiscal management and to ‘control administrative performance. [Article 120. The electoral organization consists of the National Electoral Counc, the Office ofthe National Registrar of (iil Status, and ofthe other organs establshed by law. ts responsible for the organization of election, thelr rection ‘and supervision, as wall as matters relating to persona entiation [Article 121, No authorty ofthe State may exercise functons ferent from those assigned to It by the Constitution and the law. ome vi ‘THE JUDICIARY BRANCH ‘CHAPTER’ GENERAL PROVISIONS ‘Article 228, The administration of justice Is publ function. Its decisions are independent. Ts proeedings wil be publle ‘and permanent with the exception established by aw, and substantive law wil prvalin them, Lega ms wl be ligenty ‘observed and faire to apply them will be sanctoned. The functioning ofthe jury branch willbe decentralized and autonomous. [ticle 229, The right of any parson to have access tothe administration of justice Is quaranted. The law il stipulate In le eases this may be done without the representation of lawyer. ‘ticle 230. In ther decisions, the judges are bound exclusively by the rue of low. Equity, jursprudence, and the general principles of law and doctrine are auilary criteria of Jude proceedings. [Article 231, The judges ofthe Supreme Court of Justice and ofthe Councl of State shal be appointed by the respective Corporation frm sts drawn up by the Superior Coun ofthe Judleature. [ticle 232. tn order tobe a judge ofthe Constutonal Court, ofthe Supreme Court of Justice, or ofthe Counc of State, the folowing requirements must be met: 1. To be Colombian by birth and a ckizen in good standing. 2. To be a lawyer 3 Not to have been condemned by a court sentence to Imprisonment, except for pla crimes or faut cies. 4. To have file, for 10 years, postions in the judi branch or te Publc Ministry, oF to have exercised honorably for a lke pried the profession of lawyer or univers professor nthe legel sciplnes in offiely recognize Intttons. Paragraph, In order to bea judge ofthese courts Its not necessary to bea public employee of the jul rankng sytem. ‘Article 233. ‘he judges of whe Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Juste, aiid of the Counct oF State Will be elected for a petiod of eight years. They cannot be reelected and vil remain in ofceas log as they display good behavior, perform satisfctrly and have not reached the age of mandatory retreat.Vocabulary: ‘ge of mandatory retirement ‘General Provisions ‘ens Goals ‘Appointment However Assets Ukewse ‘sllary crterla Nation General Prosecutor Bound Nationa Atomey General Chamber or government National Electoral Counc CAtizen n good standing Notional Repstrar of Civ Status Cull servants Overreaching Comptroller General ofthe Republe Oversee Consttutional provisions Peaceful cosnstence Council of state Peoples Defender CCountersigned Prelirinary proceedings Cciminl proceedings Preval Dismissal Prosecutors Display good behavior Poble Minty emanates ‘Sovereign power Enforcement ‘The duty gully Thereof Executive branch Toamend ele ‘Tothand down ~ Fou crimes “Treasure Controller Inspector Fualtiment Whatsoever