Summary The bill approved Wednesday was backed by President Juan Manuel Santos' government
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombian lawmakers have approved a proposal to end presidential re-election.
Opposition congresswoman Tatiana Cabello told The Associated Press that lawmakers in the House of Representatives, after the eighth and final debate in both legislative houses, voted 90-10 in favor of prohibiting presidents from seeking re-election.
The bill approved Wednesday was backed by President Juan Manuel Santos government.
Colombia s 1991 constitution banned presidential re-election, but in 2004 an article was modified to allow then-President Alvaro Uribe to see re-election. Both Uribe and Santos were subsequently re-elected as presidents.
The decision to allow presidential re-election, approved by Congress, became controversial after lawmaker Yidis Medina in 2008 said that officials in Uribe s government had bought his vote. Colombia s Supreme Court later sentenced Medina to 48 months in prison for participating in bribery.
