Colombians debate third term for president

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) — Colombian President Alvaro Uribe enjoys one of the highest popularity ratings of any leader in South America, so much that his supporters are pushing for a third presidential term for him.

But the constitution would have to be changed to allow that, and recent global issues have even some supporters questioning whether Uribe should be allowed to seek that extra time in office.

“When the president was first re-elected in 2006, the economy was thriving, and the president benefited from its success,” said Carlos Lemoine, a political consultant. “Now, the economy is in a very different situation.”

Five million Colombians might disagree.

They have signed petitions asking for a constitutional referendum that would grant Uribe the chance to run again. That could happen in 2010 or, if he sat out a term, in 2014.

The nation’s Congress is debating the referendum, and not all lawmakers are convinced it’s a good idea.

“Another re-election is not good for Colombia, because it would concentrate the power of government on the president,” said David Luna, a member of Colombia’s Chamber of Representatives, the lower house of Congress.

Added representative German Olano, “In 2001, voters agreed Alvaro Uribe was the most qualified person for the job. But, like any other democracy, there are plenty of capable people for the job. And those people should get their chance.”

The third-term argument in Colombia mirrors to a large degree the situation in rival Venezuela, where President Hugo Chavez announced last month that he will press for a constitutional amendment to enable him to seek re-election in order to govern until 2021.

Observers say the efforts to expand presidential terms reflect a historical shift in South America.

“Historically, those countries did not have re-election. The president could serve one term, and that was it,” said Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs, an independent research and information organization.

“There would be military coups, with the military ousting one civilian ruler to put in another civilian ruler. Then in the 1970s, the coups changed. The military seized power and held it and didn’t turn authority over to civilians. So one country after another revised their constitutions to allow standing for re-election,” Birns said.

“We now have a situation where ruling parties want to stay in power, but for different reasons. In the case of Colombia and Uribe, it is law and order. For Chavez in Venezuela, it is extending his vision, getting more time to institutionalize that vision,” Birns said.

In Colombia, there is also talk of “vision” among congressional supporters of a third term for Uribe.

“I believe President Uribe’s success requires us to consider the [constitutional] referendum and grant it, so that we can continue his vision of long-term stability,” Chamber of Representatives member Nicolas Uribe said.

But former Colombian President Andres Pastrana believes that it is time for a change, and changing the constitution to allow for a third term is not the change he means.

“I think that changing the constitution for someone’s personal gain is against our democratic principles, and it would be a grave mistake for this country,” he said.

That is a risk that supporters of the referendum are willing to take.

“It is not going to weaken our democracy,” supporter Luis Guillermo Giraldo said.

“Just look at Margaret Thatcher, who governed for 11 years, or Tony Blair for 10,” he said, referring to two former British prime ministers.

As the debate goes on in Colombia, Uribe is not saying whether he wants another term in office.

And opponents are arguing that it would not be worth spending an estimated $57 million on a referendum to find out whether he should even be allowed to be a candidate.