Colombia’s Congress Elected the Nine Magistrates of the National Electoral Council
Colombia’s Congress in full session elected on the night of this Tuesday, August 25, the nine magistrates of the National Electoral Council (CNE) for the 2026-2030 constitutional term. The result did not favor the left-wing forces, which secured only two magistrates.
The new magistrates of the CNE are Nubia Stella Martinez Rueda (Democratic Center), Silvio Carrasquilla Torres (Liberal Party), Juan Carlios Wils Opsina (Conservative Party), Juan Felipe Lemos Uribe (La U Party), Jose Antonio Parra Fandino (National Salvation), Plinio Alarcon Buitrago (Mira Party – Democratic Center), Cielo Rusinque Urrego (Historical Pact), Ana Jimena Bautista (Historical Pact) and Hersel Luis Perez (Cambio Radical).
Friction within parties and distrust in the CNE
Before the election, tensions had emerged within the parties, such as the Green Alliance, which was seriously divided between the faction led by the governor of Boyaca, Carlos Amaya, and that of Senator Ariel Avila.
Amaya’s congressmen, who were the majority, supported lawyer Jose Salamanca. Meanwhile, Avila’s supporters backed Guillermo Rivera, former interior minister and former ambassador to Brazil. Neither of those factions managed to secure a magistrate.
In general, the congressmen, regardless of the parties to which they belong, stated in the minutes prior to the vote that those elected should provide guarantees to all parties.
The CNE faces much criticism because some consider it a bureaucratic body that should no longer exist. It has long been a questioned institution because the interests of the political parties are concentrated there.
The magistrates whose terms ended are Fabiola Marquez Grisales (Historical Pact), Alba Lucia Velasquez Hernandez (Historical Pact / Democratic Pole), Maritza Martinez Aristizabal (La U Party), Benjamin Ortiz Torres (Liberal Party), Altus Baquero (Liberal Party), Alfonso Campo Martinez (Conservative Party), Cristian Ricardo Quiroz Romero (Green Alliance), Cesar Augusto Lorduy Maldonado (Cambio Radical) (who served as president and was later temporarily replaced or replaced in acting duties), and Alvaro Hernan Prada (Democratic Center).
The functions of the CNE
The previous magistrates were replaced because members of the CNE serve institutional four-year terms. They are full-time public servants and have the same qualifications, disqualifications, incompatibilities and rights as magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice (Article 264 of the Political Constitution of Colombia).
The CNE regulates, inspects, monitors and controls all electoral activity of political parties and movements and their representatives, leaders and candidates. Among its functions is also exercising supreme inspection, monitoring and control of the Electoral Organization (of which the CNE is a part together with the National Civil Registry).
It must also carry out the general scrutiny of all national voting, declare the election and issue the corresponding credentials to the winners; review the scrutiny and electoral documents to guarantee the accuracy of the results, and ensure compliance with the rules on political parties and movements (Article 265 of the Political Constitution of Colombia).