No Peace without Inclusion: Indigenous and Afro-Descendant Circumscriptions in Colombia

Mar 13, 2018 | José Camargo
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Today, Colombian citizens will be able to vote for Congress. In Colombia, Congress is constituted by a Senate and a Chamber of Representatives. Each Colombian citizen will have the chance to vote for one Senator and one Representative. Among candidates for the Chamber of Representatives, voters can choose between one of the following options: voting for a candidate representing the territorial circumscription that they live in, voting for a candidate belonging to the party of an indigenous community or voting for a candidate belonging to the party of an Afro-descendant community. For the 2018-2022 period, two seats in Senate and one in the Chamber of Representatives will be given to Indigenous candidates, and two seats in the Chamber of Representatives will be given to Afro-descendant communities. According to the 1991 Constitution, which is still in effect today, indigenous, black, Afro-descendant and palenquera (Spanish-based Creole-speaking) communities must have a special political representation. This Constitution was developed by three political movements: the Liberal Party, the M-19 insurgency guerrilla and the conservative-oriented Movimiento de Salvación Nacional (National Salvation Movement). These parties agreed to have a tripartite presidency between each other. Historically, the political arena in Colombia has been characterized by political exclusion. Notably, during the National Front (1958-1974), the liberal and conservative parties decided to take turns governing, rejecting any other party or ideology from having the possibility of political participation. This National Front was in part what led to the development of many insurgency guerrillas throughout Colombia in the ’60s.