From Uribe to Santos: changes and continuities in 2011 colombian politics

Summary

This article highlights some of the key events, processes and public policy decisions that have defined Colombian politics throughout 2011. Juan Manuel Santos’s government has made decisions that have distanced his administration from his predecessor Alvaro Uribe’s policies. This document focuses on these differences. It offers an overview of the 2010 presidential and legislative elections given their importance in defining national politics. The following sections summarize highly salient national issues, nationwide and local electoral results, substantial institutional changes, as well as other relevant aspects that characterize Colombian branches of government.