t Andres PASTRANA (since
7 August 1998); Vice President Gustavo BELL Lemus (since 7 August
1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government head of government: BELL Lemus (since 7 August 1998);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties -
the PL and PSC - and independents elections: election last held 26
May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: on 26 May
2002, President-elect Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the vote;
Vice President-elect Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket;
they will take office in August 2002

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 (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) elections: of Representatives - last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: Senate - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents
and smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 61; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54,
PSC 21, independents and other parties 91

Judicial branch: four, coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court
of Justice or 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); Higher
Council of Justice (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary;
members of the disciplinary chamber resolve jurisdictional conflicts
arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts
and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN
Sardi]; Liberal Party or PL [Horatio SERPA Uribe]; Patriotic Union or
UP is a legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia or FARC and Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO];
19 of April Mo