Obama praises Colombian president for honoring court ruling that denies him 3rd term
By APThursday, March 11, 2010
Obama lauds Colombian president for heeding court
BOGOTA — President Barack Obama is applauding Colombian President Alvaro Uribe for accepting a court decision that prevents him from running for a third term.
Obama says Uribe’s respectful heeding of the Feb. 26 ruling by the Colombian Constitutional Court “will resonate in the Americas” as an “invaluable example.”
The court declared unconstitutional a law that would have convened a referendum to ask voters if the conservative Uribe could run again. Similar legislation enabled Uribe’s 2006 re-election.
The Obama letter was delivered to Uribe on Thursday by U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones in Chile, where both men are attending the inauguration of that country’s new president.
Colombia holds presidential elections on May 30.
