Would President Petro revoke Congress if the referendum isn't approved in the Senate?

In his traditional May Day speech, President Gustavo Petro took several digs at senators, House representatives, political leaders, and members of the opposition.

As usual, Petro held nothing back and, before more than 20,000 people gathered in Plaza de Bolívar, asked Congress to approve the referendum on the working conditions of the country's workers.

Regarding this, the president said that if the Congress of the Republic, that is, the Senate and House of Representatives, do not approve the referendum, he can call for elections by issuing a presidential decree.

See more: Labor Day marches end with the filing of the referendum

Petro said that if Congress does not " listen to the people, we will recall them."

" If they (Congress) were to get it into their heads —for the sake of freedom they would take away the freedom of the people, that for the sake of rights they would take away the rights of the people, for the sake of believing themselves anointed by divine design or patronage, or the money of the mafia, or the money of the multinational health companies... If they think that's enough for them—then in a midnight session of the Senate they would vote to say no to the referendum, the people of Colombia would rise up and revoke them ," said President Petro.

" And don't think it's going to be like they think, that we're going to enter like a stampede—that we could—and that we're going to get there and force them out, but we are respectful of human freedom and human dignity and we respect them because they are human beings but we are not fools. Every name voted against the rights of the people must be shown and stripped bare before their own people ," the president added.

See more: What is needed for the referendum to receive the approval of Congress?

In that sense, he said that " not a single parliamentarian who votes against the referendum will be re-elected in Colombia because no one will vote for him . There will be no Colombian in any region of Colombia who will vote for those people ."

After his speech, the head of state submitted the 12-question referendum proposal to the Congress of the Republic. From the date of submission, the Senate will have a maximum of 30 days to decide whether it is feasible for Colombians to go to the polls to vote on the direction of the government's initiative.

However, after his speech, the question remains as to whether the president is likely to recall the congressmen. See more: 'The people want to decide': Petro's Labor Day speech

In this regard, a document from the National Civil Registry states that this is not possible: " In Colombia, recall only applies to mayors and governors, not to other elected officials such as congressmen, deputies, councilors, or the president of the Republic ."

In addition, Senator Miguel Ángel Pinto announced that he will take action against the president before the IACHR: " His irrational statements will be criminally reported to the Commission on Accusations, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the international community , as well as his death threats to congressmen who do not vote for his referendum . He went too far... "

Reactions of the congressmen

In this regard, opposition senator Miguel Uribe said on his X account that: " Petro is threatening a self-coup . The President of Congress must demand that Petro retract his statement ."

For her part, Senator Paloma Valencia stated: " Petro is threatening to bypass Congress and push through his referendum by decree. He doesn't want democracy, he wants absolute power. Colombia will not be Venezuela. Colombia has a society on its feet, ready to fight for democracy ."

Senator Pinto, of the Liberal Party, also stated: " The bill recognizing workers' labor rights was introduced by the Liberal Party before you, and your party sank it. Now you cynically proclaim yourself the defender of workers. Democrat? If you were, you wouldn't threaten the Senate with death ."

PORTFOLIO