The registration of a promoter committee for a national constituent assembly with the Registraduría has reignited a debate Colombia thought settled. Pushed by President Gustavo Petro's government, the initiative aims to alter institutional rules despite prior pledges to uphold the 1991 Constitution. Critics warn it could enable presidential re-election and undermine democracy.
Cali, December 27, 2025. On December 27, 2025, Colombia's National Registry received the inscription of a promoter committee to convene a national constituent assembly, reigniting a contentious political debate. According to an editorial in the Occidente newspaper, this move by Gustavo Petro's government revives the notion of altering institutions, contradicting the president's campaign pledges to respect the 1991 Constitution and avoid pushing for a constituent assembly.
Promoters claim an 'institutional blockage' hinders key reforms. However, the editorial argues this narrative lacks foundation: in a democracy with checks and balances, Congress has approved some initiatives, such as the labor reform, while rejecting others due to their fiscal impact and lack of viable resources. 'Some reforms of the current government advanced, like the labor one, and others did not, not because of blockage, but because the legislative power considered them inconvenient,' the text states.
The main concern is the risk of enabling presidential re-election, seen as a harmful mechanism. Though Petro does not admit it openly, 'the insistence of his political entourage fuels the suspicion that this is the real goal,' the editorial notes. Petrismo spokespeople are already promoting the idea as a political way out.
The newspaper concludes that Colombia does not need a constituent assembly to address structural issues, but rather a responsible government that manages public resources rigorously and respects democratic rules. For the next president, amid 2026 elections, the priority must be strengthening institutions without shortcuts that perpetuate political projects.
