Political Constitution of the Republic of Colombia 1991, as amended to 2023
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    The enunciation of the rights and guarantees contained in the Constitution and in the international agreements in effect must not be understood as a negation of others which, being inherent to the human person, are not expressly mentioned in them. (Art. 94)
  • Spanish
    La enunciación de los derechos y garantías contenidos en la Constitución y en los convenios internacionales vigentes, no debe entenderse como negación de otros que, siendo inherentes a la persona humana, no figuren expresamente en ellos. (Art. 94)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    The States of Exception to which the previous Articles refer will be subject to the following provisions:
    …
    2. Neither human rights nor fundamental freedoms may be suspended. In all cases, the rules of international humanitarian law will be respected. A statutory law will regulate the faculties of the Government during the States of Exception and will establish the judicial controls and guarantees to protect the rights in conformity with international treaties. The measures which are adopted must be proportionate to the gravity of the facts.
    … (Art. 214)
  • Spanish
    Los Estados de Excepción a que se refieren los artículos anteriores se someterán a las siguientes disposiciones:
    …
    2. No podrán suspenderse los derechos humanos ni las libertades fundamentales. En todo caso se respetarán las reglas del derecho internacional humanitario. Una ley estatutaria regulará las facultades del Gobierno durante los estados de excepción y establecerá los controles judiciales y las garantías para proteger los derechos, de conformidad con los tratados internacionales. Las medidas que se adopten deberán ser proporcionales a la gravedad de los hechos.
    … (Art. 214)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    When events different from those provided for in Articles 212 and 213 occur that disrupt or threaten to disrupt in serious or imminent manner the economic, social, or ecological order of the country or which constitute a grave public calamity, the President, with the signature of all the Ministers, can declare a State of Emergency for periods up to thirty days in each case which, added up, must not exceed ninety days in a calendar year.
    By means of such a declaration, which must be substantiated, the President can, with the signature of all the Ministers, issue decrees with the force of law, intended exclusively to ward off the crisis and impede the extension of its effects.
    …
    The Government may not infringe [desmejorar] on the social rights of workers through the decrees contemplated in this Article.
    … (Art. 215)
  • Spanish
    Cuando sobrevengan hechos distintos de los previstos en los artículos 212 y 213 que perturben o amenacen perturbar en forma grave e inminente el orden económico, social y ecológico del país, o que constituyan grave calamidad pública, podrá el Presidente, con la firma de todos los ministros, declarar el Estado de Emergencia por períodos hasta de treinta días en cada caso, que sumados no podrán exceder de noventa días en el año calendario.
    Mediante tal declaración, que deberá ser motivada, podrá el Presidente, con la firma de todos los ministros, dictar decretos con fuerza de ley, destinados exclusivamente a conjurar la crisis y a impedir la extensión de sus efectos.
    …
    El Gobierno no podrá desmejorar los derechos sociales de los trabajadores mediante los decretos contemplados en este artículo.
    … (Art. 215)
1

Political Constitution of the Republic of Colombia 1991, as amended to 2023 (English), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024). According to Art. 10: “Castilian is the official language of Colombia. …”

2

Political Constitution of the Republic of Colombia 1991, as amended to 2023 (Spanish).

Links to all sites last visited 8 April 2024
3
Articles are located in Title II on Rights, Guarantees, and Duties and Chapter I on Fundamental Rights.