These are the thirteen points of the referendum proposed by Álvaro Uribe Vélez to give Colombia a ‘timonazo’

After being released by the Bogotá judge Clara Ximena Salcedo Duarte, former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez released a speech on his social networks where he made special emphasis on repealing the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) and also his claim for reducing the Congress of the Republic.

The judge who released the former senator said: “The decision made by this official is to agree to the request by the defense, supported by the Attorney General’s Office and the representation of the Public Ministry, and in this order and consequently the immediate release of Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez will be ordered, ”he said.

On the other hand, Uribe said in that speech that “Let us also think about a referendum that reduces Congress and the bureaucracy, adopts a vertex norm for the dome of justice, guarantees solidarity income to the poorest and confirms the seizure of drugs without criminalize the consumer. That the JEP repeal and grant guarantees to the members of the Armed Forces, also to those demobilized in good faith, “said the former president.

In this sense, he added that “the consequences of the judicial system that we inherited from the previous government. That set of regulations linked to the JEP consecrated total impunity for atrocities such as kidnapping and rape of minors. The truth has become a premeditation to deny or edit the facts according to the political interest. ”

After learning about his perspective on the JEP, the former president published a draft with 13 points that would be part of that referendum. A few hours ago, using his Twitter account, the former senator made some clarifications and presented the first draft of the referendum he proposes. First on video, then he shared a Google Drive document. These are the points:

1.- Popular Referendum

A Constitutional Referendum of popular initiative would be called.

2.- Judicial Branch, one or two High Courts; and prompt justice

One or two high judicial bodies would be established, which would not have electoral functions with respect to the other branches of public power.

The magistrates would be over 55 years of age, for personal terms of 12 years (or up to an age of forced retirement or life), elected by co-option with the approval of the Senate.

Expedited solutions to judicial delays will be studied.

3.- Special Legislative Commission

A Special Legislative Commission made up of 30 members, elected by the Senate, would be created. The members of said commission should be Colombian citizens, with the same regime of disqualifications and incompatibilities of the congressmen, who:

a) implement the referendum

b) propose the measures to Congress; If these are not adopted within the following six months, the President may issue them by means of decrees with force of law.

4.- Court of Gauges

A Court of Assessors would be created to create independence in the judging of congressmen and magistrates.

5.- JEP. Repeal or substantive reform

It is expected that this reform will provide more judicial guarantees to the members of the Armed Forces.

So then the alternatives are:

a) The Special Peace Jurisdiction would be repealed and its functions would be transferred to the ordinary jurisdiction, but the judicial benefits are maintained.

b) The terms of the current magistrates would be reduced.

Judicial guarantees for members of the Armed Forces:

The main reform of this proposal is to create a special chamber for members of the public force, with impartial magistrates who know their protocols, command structure and operational rules.

Probation for members of the public force:

Members of the security forces who have committed crimes before December 1, 2016, when they have completed 5 years of effective sentence, may request conditional release. Crimes of violent carnal access, sexual abuse, kidnapping, terrorism or crimes against the State are excepted.

6.- Protection of social leaders

The homicide in people considered social leaders, according to the law, will have the sanction of aggravated homicide, without criminal surrogates or less severe alternative penalties.

7.- Exclusion from Congress of those responsible for crimes against humanity:

Persons responsible for crimes against humanity may not be members of Congress, or of any popularly elected corporation, nor may they be elected to single-person positions.

8.- Confiscation of illegal substances without criminalizing consumption

The Government may order the confiscation of illegal substances, even if their possession and consumption are not criminally sanctioned.

The consumption of illegal substances will not be penalized. Public health policies such as prevention, rehabilitation and confiscation will be the only ones applicable to consumers.

9.- Austerity in state operation for greater social investment

State expenditures on payroll, direct or indirect, and operation, at the different levels of the State, will be frozen in real terms for six years.

10.- Decrease in the number of congressmen and gradual reduction of salary

Congress will be reduced by 30 percent. The remuneration of the congressmen will be frozen for the next six years.

11.- Progress towards equity, solidarity income and pension bonus

The State will support the most vulnerable people with an economic resource. It will be targeted in such a way that no one is below the monetary poverty line. The law will define the measurement of poverty and the gradualness to eradicate it.

The State will deliver a pension bonus to newborns from vulnerable homes. Only one per family.

The amount will be defined according to the fiscal possibilities and may be redeemed for the owner’s undertakings.

12.- Free education according to income level with the possibility of choosing a public, private or mixed institution, without monopoly or indoctrination

The State will guarantee free education with a socio-economic focus. You can do it through official, private, mixed or solidarity institutions.

13.- Paid protection of Strategic Ecosystems such as the Amazon

The State will remunerate the care of Strategic Ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Orinoquia and the Pacific Coast, the primary forest, the secondary forest, the moors, the rivers, the mirrors and water sources, the national parks in the territory or in the sea, mangroves and those that are defined by the Government, according to technical criteria.

Care and compensation will preferably be done through those who have settled in those territories, as ancestral inhabitants and members of local communities.

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