Colombia

UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE NUEVO LEON
FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS POLÍTICAS Y ADMINISTRACIÓN PÚBLICA.



COLOMBIA´S GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS


Monterrey, Nuevo León a 28 de Abril de 2012

* Colombia´s Political System
Colombia’s political structure is divided into executive, judicial and legislative branches of government, divided into a Senate and a House of Representatives. Senators areelected via a national ballot, while representatives are elected by their local constituents. Congress convenes twice annually, and the president can summon a special session when necessary.
The Colombian president is chosen directly by the electorate, without the intervention of an electoral college. He then serves as both head of state and head of government, overseeing a multi-party representativedemocracy. The president serves for four years and may only be elected for two terms.In 2004, Article 197 of the Constitution was amended to allow presidents to serve two terms, and not just one.
There are two high courts in Colombia that serve separate functions: the Constitutional court, which as its name indicates, interprets the Constitution and monitors observance of laws, and then there isthe Supreme Court, consisting of 23 judges who are appointed by the legislature for eight-year terms. This court is divided into three chambers: a civil-agrarian, a labor and a penal.
The conservative Roman Catholic Church plays a major role in Colombia´s politics in respect to the military in the election of presidents and even in the political socialization of the Colombians.
* ColombianPolitical Parties
From the middle of 19th century, until the new constitution of 1991, Colombia's politics were fought (often literally) between two parties - the Conservatives and the Liberals. As well as sharing power, the Conservatives and Liberals split the nation in a period of civil conflict labeled “La Violencia” between 1948 and 1966.
In recent years Colombian politics have becomepluralist. Some argue that Colombia is moving quickly towards personality - and away from party - politics.
Alvaro Uribe is perhaps the clearest example of this phenomenon. Uribe left the Liberal Party to create the Colombia First movement, with whom he became president in 2002 - Uribe was considered an independent, around which a political force grew. To support his re-election in 2006 the coalitionthat had coalesced around Uribe became the party of the 'U'. It was on this U platform that current President; Juan Manuel Santos made his way to the “Casa de Narino” in 2010.
President Santos formed his own coalition which he called“the government of national unity.” This government brought together the U, the Conservatives, the Liberals, “Cambio Radical”; and the Greens. This represents 94% ofCongress. The only main party outside of the coalition is the Polo Democratico (the 'socialist party').

* Colombian Society
Colombia is the third-most populous country in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico. Sixty-one cities have a population of 100,000 or more; five cities have a population of more than 1 million. Most of Colombia’s population is concentrated around the northern andwestern departments. The nine eastern lowlands departments, constituting about 54% of Colombia's area, are sparsely populated (less than 3% of the population; density of less than one person per square kilometer).
Ethnic and cultural diversity in Colombia reflects the indigenous, European (mainly Spanish), and African heritages of its inhabitants. Today, only about 3% of the people identifythemselves as indigenous. Afro-Colombians and indigenous groups have faced challenges related to integration into mainstream Colombian society.
Around 37% of Colombians live below the poverty line, and the country continues to face large income disparities and inadequate social services. The history of the country, including decades of violence involving outlawed armed groups and drug cartels coupled...