Colombia’s inspector-general ordered Bogota’s mayor removed from office Monday and banished from politics for 15 years, deeming unconstitutional his behaviour in a showdown last year with private garbage collectors.
Mayor Gustavo Petro, a leading leftist seen as a potential presidential candidate in next year’s elections, refused to accept the decision by Alejandro Ordonez, an ally of former President Alvaro Uribe, and called supporters into the streets.
– See more at: Today Colombia
It is difficult to see this action as anything other than politically motivated. I can see the IG finding that it was unconstitutional to cancel the contract to create a public service, but to fire the mayor and banish him from politics seems extreme. Apparently, there is no constitutional court in Colombia and no procedure for removing people from elected office. To put this much power in the hands of the IG seems very undemocratic, ironically.