to be held NA May 2002)
election results: 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 21 June 1998; Andres PASTRANA
elected president; percent of vote--NA; Gustavo BELL 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 NA March 1998 (next to be held NA March
2002); House of Representatives--last held NA March 1998 (next to be
held NA March 2002)
election results: Senate--percent of vote by party--PL 50%, PC 24%,
smaller parties (many aligned with conservatives) 26%; seats by
party--PL 51, PC 24, smaller parties 27; House of
Representatives--percent of vote by party--PL 52%, PC 17%, other 31%;
seats by party--NA

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 [Horaero
AD/M-19 is a coalition of small leftist parties and dissident
legal political party formed by Revolutionary Armed Forces of

Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent
groups active in Colombia--Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or
FARC; and National Liberation Army or ELN

International organization participation: BCIE, CAN, Caricom
(observer), CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G- 3, G-11, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
(pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis A