Colombia: President may opt for third term

Colombian president Alvaro Uribe said that he would consider running for a third straight term in case of a “catastrophe.” Though he refused to detail what sort of circumstances would lead him to run again, one presidential advisor said that the “catastrophe” would be if Uribe’s supporters cannot find a suitable successor to him.

Uribe’s remarks came days after opposition candidates scored big wins in local elections. A few of them spoke out against the possibility of Uribe running in 2010:

"It's not a good idea for someone to perpetuate themselves eternally in power," said Jose Gregorio Hernandez, a former member of Colombia's Constitutional Court.

It is unconstitutional for presidents to run for a third term though that has not stopped several legislators from trying to amend it.

Sources (English)- Reuters, International Herald Tribune, Plan Colombia and Beyond, The Latin Americanist

Sources (Spanish)- El Tiempo, RCN

Image- BBC Mundo