Skip to main content
Menu Menu Close
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Western Asia
Flag

Colombia

Monthly Event Reports

November 2023 | Constitutional Court rules on Petro’s “total peace” strategy

President Petro’s strategy of “total peace” (“paz total”), which seeks the disarmament of rebels and other criminal groups, was considered by the Constitutional Court. The legal framework adopted by Congress in 2022 to establish the conditions by which authorities may engage in negotiations with such groups, including through the suspension of arrest warrants, the release of detained persons, and other judicial privileges, had been challenged by opposition politicians. On 30 November, the Court determined that the aim of the law was not contrary to the constitution, however, it restricted the ability of the Executive Branch to carry out actions that are normally the competence of a judge, such as the suspension of arrest warrants. It reasoned that some of the law’s provisions granted the Executive excessive prerogatives and that the release of convicted persons (in order to be designated as peace envoys) was unconstitutional. It also determined that the conditions for the surrender of non-political criminal groups had to be defined by Congress, and not by the government.

December 2023 | New rounds of peace talks take place
Watch flag

A fifth round of peace talks between the government and the ELN (National Liberation Army) took place in December. Negotiations with ELN are part of President Petro’s peace plans, which also include negotiations with dissident groups of the now extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), paramilitary and criminal groups. At the end of negotiations, the ELN agreed to suspend civilian kidnappings as a means to obtain financing. A high-profile kidnapping in December, which took place during a six-month cease-fire, had put pressure on both sides to engage in a new round of negotiations. During this last round of peace talks the participation of civil society in the peace process, and the establishment of conditions to ensure an extension of the ceasefire were also agreed, as was the commitment of both sides to the peace process. In early December, before discussion with ELN took place, the largest dissident group of the former FARC, the Estado Mayor Central (EMC), announced it would cease the practice of kidnappings for economic purposes, in the context of its own negotiations with the government.

October 2023 | 32 governors and over 1,000 mayors are elected in regional elections, during an election day with acts of violence

On 29 October, regional elections were held in Colombia. 32 governors and over 1,000 mayors were among the over 20,000 public offices that were elected. President Gustavo Petro’s party faced a blow as its candidates for pivotal posts were defeated.   Acts of violence took place during election day, including riots and acts of arson in public buildings in some localities, one of which resulted in the death of a civil servant. The Organization of American States expressed its concern over the acts of violence during the election day and throughout the post-electoral process, calling for all disagreements and claims to be considered by the relevant authorities. According to international observers, compared to the 2019 elections, violence has increased in 75 per cent.

August 2023 | UN Security Council to oversee ceasefire between government and ELN
Watch flag

A UN Security Council resolution has approved the role of a UN mission in Colombia to oversee and monitor a ceasefire agreed between the government and the National Liberation Army (Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional, ELN). The ceasefire entered into force in the beginning of August, after negotiations facilitated by international actors over the summer. The ceasefire will be in place for 180 days.

Explore past monthly event reports

GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

Chevron

Basic Information

Chevron
Population Tooltip
51 265 840
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Gustavo Petro (since 2022)
Head of government party
Humane Colombia
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
28.9%
Women in upper chamber
29.6%
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
8.46
Head of state
President Gustavo Petro
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
10/05/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
86.73%
Population Tooltip
51 265 840
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Gustavo Petro (since 2022)
Head of government party
Humane Colombia
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
28.9%
Women in upper chamber
29.6%
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
8.46
Head of state
President Gustavo Petro
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
10/05/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
86.73%
Tooltip text

Human Rights Treaties

Chevron
State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
American Convention on Human Rights
State Party
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
in
Tooltip text

Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rights
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Rule of law
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024
Representation neutral Participation
Sep 2023
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2024

Global State of Democracy Indices

Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years

Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

Use the slider below to see how democratic performance has changed over time

0 10