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Colombia CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND TREATY OBLIGATIONS
According to the Constitution of 1886, the president of
the
Republic of Colombia serves as the commander in chief of
the
country's armed forces. In addition to this obligation to
maintain
public order, the president is empowered to provide for
the
country's external security. The president has the right
to declare
war, with the consent of the Senate, or, if deemed
necessary to
repel a foreign invasion, without such consent. The
president also
has constitutional authority to conclude and ratify peace
treaties
and is responsible for reporting to Congress on the
conclusion of
such pacts. Military promotions for general and flag
officers as
well as military appointments are conferred by the
president of the
republic, subject to the confirmation of the Senate.
According to Article 121, in case of foreign war or
domestic
strife, the president, with the approval of the cabinet,
is
authorized to declare a state of siege in all or part of
the
republic, thereby placing it under martial law. Article
122
empowers the president, also upon approval of the cabinet,
to
declare a state of emergency in response to events that
pose an
imminent threat to the social and economic order
(see The Executive
, ch. 4).
Data as of December 1988
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