Political Constitution of the Republic of Colombia 1991, as amended to 2023
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    The Constitution is the norm of norms. In all cases of incompatibility between the Constitution and the law or other juridical norms, the constitutional provisions will be applied.
    It is the duty of nationals and foreigners in Colombia to obey the Constitution and the laws, and to respect and to obey the authorities. (Art. 4)
  • Spanish
    La Constitución es norma de normas. En todo caso de incompatibilidad entre la Constitución y la ley u otra norma jurídica, se aplicarán las disposiciones constitucionales.
    Es deber de los nacionales y de los extranjeros en Colombia acatar la Constitución y las leyes, y respetar y obedecer a las autoridades. (Art. 4)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    Individuals are only responsible before the authorities for infringing the Constitution and the laws. Public servants are so for the same cause and for omission or extra limitation in the exercise of their functions. (Art. 6)
  • Spanish
    Los particulares sólo son responsables ante las autoridades por infringir la Constitución y las leyes. Los servidores públicos lo son por la misma causa y por omisión o extralimitación en el ejercicio de sus funciones. (Art. 6)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    …
    Every person is obligated to obey the Constitution and the laws.
    … (Art. 95)
  • Spanish
    ...
    Toda persona está obligada a cumplir la Constitución y las leyes.
    ... (Art. 95)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    The safeguarding of the integrity and the supremacy of the Constitution is entrusted to the Constitutional Court, in the strict and precise terms of this Article. With this objective it will fulfill the following functions:
    …
    10. To decide definitively on the constitutionality [exquibilidad/executability] of the international treaties and on the laws that approve them. To this end, the Government will submit them to the Court, within the six days subsequent to the sanction of the law. Any citizen can intervene to defend or challenge their constitutionality [constitucionalidad]. If the Court declares them constitutional, the Government may effect the exchange of notes; in the contrary case they will not be ratified. When one or several norms of a multilateral treaty are declared unconstitutional [inexquibilidad/unexecutable] by the Constitutional Court, the President of the Republic may only declare consent formulated [with] the corresponding reservation.
    … (Art. 241)
  • Spanish
    A la Corte Constitucional se le confía la guarda de la integridad y supremacía de la Constitución, en los estrictos y precisos términos de este artículo. Con tal fin, cumplirá las siguientes funciones:
    …
    10. Decidir definitivamente sobre la exequibilidad de los tratados internacionales y de las leyes que los aprueben. Con tal fin, el Gobierno los remitirá a la Corte, dentro de los seis días siguientes a la sanción de la ley. Cualquier ciudadano podrá intervenir para defender o impugnar su constitucionalidad. Si la Corte los declara constitucionales, el Gobierno podrá efectuar el canje de notas; en caso contrario no serán ratificados. Cuando una o varias normas de un tratado multilateral sean declaradas inexequibles por la Corte Constitucional, el Presidente de la República sólo podrá manifestar el consentimiento formulando la correspondiente reserva.
    … (Art. 241)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    The decisions [fallos] issued by the Court in the exercise of the jurisdictional control make final the matter [hacer tránsito a cosa] judged constitutional.
    No authority may reproduce the material content of the juridical act declared unconstitutional [inexquibilidad/unexecutable] for fundamental reasons, while the provisions that served to make the confrontation[,] between the ordinary norm and the Constitution[,] subsist in the Charter [Carta]. (Art. 243)
  • Spanish
    Los fallos que la Corte dicte en ejercicio del control jurisdiccional hacen tránsito a cosa juzgada constitucional.
    Ninguna autoridad podrá reproducir el contenido material del acto jurídico declarado inexequible por razones de fondo, mientras subsistan en la Carta las disposiciones que sirvieron para hacer la confrontación entre la norma ordinaria y la Constitución. (Art. 243)
Status of the Constitution
  • English
    The authorities of the indigenous [Indian] peoples may exercise their jurisdictional functions within their territorial jurisdiction in accordance with their own laws and procedures as long as these are not contrary to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. An Act shall establish the forms of coordination of this special jurisdiction with the national judicial system. (Art. 246)
  • Spanish
    Las autoridades de los pueblos indígenas podrán ejercer funciones jurisdiccionales dentro de su ámbito territorial, de conformidad con sus propias normas y procedimientos, siempre que no sean contrarios a la Constitución y leyes de la República. La ley establecerá las formas de coordinación de esta jurisdicción especial con el sistema judicial nacional. (Art. 246)
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.