Lorena Ríos and Paola Holguín are the new vice presidents of the Senate.

Before electing the new Constitutional Court justice, the Senate selected its first and second vice presidents. The Council of State annulled both their elections. One for coming from a majority party and the other for violating gender equality on the governing board.

After a vote that lasted just over an hour, the plenary session elected Lorena Ríos, of the Colombia Justa y Libres party, as first vice president. She defeated Senator Aída Quilcué, who was nominated by the Historic Pact and its allies. She will replace Jhon Jairo Roldán, of the Liberal Party.

Regarding the second vice president, the plenary session respected the opposition's decision to nominate Paola Holguín. She will replace Alirio Barrera, both from the Democratic Center, so there are no major changes.

Both vice presidents will hold their positions until June 20, as they were elected for a term that was already running and only has one month left. However, they could participate in the actions of the board of directors if the government calls extraordinary sessions.

On May 8, it was announced that the Council of State annulled the election of Senators John Jairo Roldán Avendaño (Liberal Party) and Josué Alirio Barrera Rodríguez (Democratic Center) as first and second vice presidents of the Senate for the 2024-2025 legislative period.

The decision was made after considering that rules guaranteeing the participation of political minorities and gender equality had been violated.

"The first vice presidency is reserved for minority parties," the Fifth Section of the high court recalled. However, Senator Roldán belongs to the Liberal Party, a party that won 13 seats in the Senate, making it the third largest party.

"The Liberal Party cannot be considered a minority," the Court concluded, noting that the participation of minorities in the governing bodies of Congress must be guaranteed.

Regarding Barrera's election, the Council of State emphatically pointed out that the principle of gender alternation, which requires opposition parties to alternate men and women in the second vice presidency of the Senate, was violated.

"For the third consecutive time in the 2022-2026 four-year term, a male senator represents the opposition in the second vice presidency," the ruling stated. This occurred despite the fact that the Democratic Center party had four eligible female senators.

"Alternating is not a possibility, it is a legal obligation," the Court emphasized.

The decision nullifies the minutes of the July 20, 2024, session in which Roldán and Barrera were elected. The Senate must hold a new election that complies with the principles of political pluralism and gender equality.

Juan Sebastian Lombo Delgado