Colombia’s chief prosecutor seeks nullification of FARC peace vote
Colombia’s chief prosecutor seeks nullification of FARC peace vote
Posted by Stephen Gill on Mar 11, 2016
Colombia’s Prosecutor General asked the Constitutional Court on Thursday to nullify a recently approved plebiscite that would give Colombians a vote on a pending peace deal between the government and left wing FARC guerrillas.
As talks between the government and the rebels advance, any agreement that is signed is due to be presented before the public, which has been promised a popular vote for approval.
President Juan Manuel Santos had long promised a referendum, but opted for a lower-bar plebiscite while the FARC and the conservative opposition have called for a constitutional assembly. A referendum would require a relatively high voter turnout, while in a plebiscite this threshold would be lower.
However, according to Prosecutor General Eduardo Montealegre the proposed plebiscite would be unconstitutional and would involve an amendment to the constitution. Instead, he wants the president to have the faculty to “seal the deal” with the leftist rebels that has divided the country.
More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombias-public-not-right-vote-peace-agreement-prosecutor-general/
