Congress responded to the team of the president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, and told them that it is indeed possible to advance his presidential inauguration outside of Bogotá. It explained what the legislative procedure would be.
“The Political Constitution establishes that the ordinary seat of Congress is located in the capital, but it also expressly recognizes that the Senate of the Republic and the House of Representatives may move it to another place by agreement between both chambers,” reads the letter, signed by the secretaries of the Senate, Diego González, and of the House, Jaime Luis Lacouture.
And it adds: “The president must take office before Congress and take the oath provided in that provision, without the rule establishing a specific seat for the performance of this act. Therefore, if the Senate and the House previously move the seat in accordance with article 140 above, the president-elect may validly take office before the full Congress meeting, in that place.”
Additionally, the secretaries explained what the procedure to follow for the transfer of Congress would be:
a) One or more congressmen may present a motion containing the place, date, and purpose before the plenary of the Senate and another substantially coincident before the plenary of the House of Representatives.
b) The motion may be submitted to the Secretary General of the respective chamber, before or during the plenary session to be submitted for discussion and voting.
c) As mentioned above, a simple majority and an ordinary decision-making quorum will be required for its approval.
d) The motion must be approved in each chamber.
e) The rule does not contemplate a minimum term. However, it must be completed with materially sufficient advance to August 7, 2026, so that there is time to summon the congressmen, organize the seat, security, protocol, logistics, and official documentation of the presidential inauguration.
From the National Salvation party, several congressmen have said they are fully willing to present the motion in the plenaries of the Senate and the House on July 20, the day the new Congress is inaugurated.
However, there are still doubts about whether De La Espriella will be able to take office in a military garrison as he wishes, since the outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, ordered that no Armed Forces facility be used for this purpose, reiterating that he is the commanding leader until his successor takes the oath.
LAURA CATALINA PERALTA GIRALDO
Political Editorial.