m in a new
procedure that replaces the traditional designation of vice presidents
by newly elected presidents
election results : Ernesto SAMPER Pizano elected president; percent of
vote - no candidate received more than 50% of the total vote,
therefore, a run-off election to select a president from the two
leading candidates was held 19 June 1994; percent of vote - Ernesto
SAMPER Pizano (Liberal Party) 50.4%, Andres PASTRANA Arango
(Conservative Party) 48.6%, blank votes 1%; Humberto de la CALLE
Lombana elected vice president; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the
Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (161 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be held March
1998); House of Representatives - last held 13 March 1994 (next to be
held March 1998)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Liberal Party 59, conservatives (includes PC, MSN, and NDF)
31, other 12; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - Liberal Party 89, conservatives (includes PC,
MSN, and NDF) 53, AD/M-19 2, other 17

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justical),
highest court of criminal law, judges are selected from the nominees
of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms; Council of
State, highest court of administrative law, judges are selected from
the nominees of the Higher Council of Justice for eight-year terms;
Constitutional Court, guards integrity and supremacy of the
constitution, rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PL [Emilio LEBOLO
Castellanos]; Conservative Party or PC [Fabio VALENCIA Cossio]; New
Democratic Force or NDF [Andres PASTRANA Arango]; Democratic Alliance
M-19 or AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident
liberals and conservatives; Patriotic Union (UP) is a legal political
party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and
Colombian Communist Party (PCC); National Salvation Movement or MSN
[Dr. Alvaro GOMEZ Hurtado]

Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups
active in Colombia - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombi