On October 9th, 20 representatives (of the opposition parties Alianza Verde, Polo Democrático Alternativo, MAIS, Lista de la Decencia, and F.A.R.C. and the independent Partido Liberal) introduced the proposal to summon Finance Minister Alberto Carrasquilla to a debate on a motion of censure to promote his exit from the ministerial cabinet. The signature of at least 17 representatives was necessary to initiate this proposal. This occurs after the Senate decided to deny the proposed motion of censure that was initiated last September. The President of the House of Representatives, Alejandro Carlos Chacón (Partido Liberal-independent), must now determine if the debate is legally appropriate; being politically independent, he’s expected to allow the motion to proceed. In view of the fact that neither the ruling party nor the opposition have their own majority in the House of Representatives (they have 82 and 24 seats out of a total of 171 respectively), the two independent parties, Partido Liberal (35 seats) and Cambio Radical (30 seats), will play a decisive role. Since 1991, 21 ministers have been subject to a motion of censure, but none was approved.

The request is due to Minister Carrasquilla’s accusations of money laundering and embezzlement of public funds when he was Finance Minister during the administration of Álvaro Uribe between 2003 and 2007. Opposition congressman Germán Navas Talero (Polo Democrático Alternativo) states that “there are still local districts paying their debt as a consequence of Carrasquilla’s conduct”.

According to article 135 of the Constitution, after the debate on the motion of censure, the vote will take place between the third and the tenth day in Congress, with the presence of the questioned Minister. The decision will require the half+1 majority of the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, which is 55 and 86 respectively. If approved, the minister will exit the cabinet. If it is rejected, another motion of censure cannot be presented unless it is motivated by new events.