The Presidential Designate () was a Colombian elected official, chosen by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

to ensure the presidential line of succession. The title of Presidential Designate did not bring any official office or duties, its sole purpose was to replace the

President of Colombia The president of Colombia (President of the Republic) is the head of state and head of government of Colombia. The president heads the executive branch of the Government of Colombia, national government and is the commander-in-chief of the Mil ...

in case of absence, death, or inability to hold office.

History

The title was first instituted by the Colombian Constitution of 1843, where Congress would choose a "designate" who would assume the Presidency of Colombia in the absence of both the President and the

Vice President A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

. The Colombian Constitution of 1853 formalized the position of Presidential Designate and in 1858, the office of the Vice President was also abolished, and the line of succession was broken and modified, calling for annual elections of First, Second, and Third Presidential Designates to confirm a transition of power, and made the Presidential Designates the successors to the presidency, or in their absence, the heads of the

Ministries of Colombia The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia is composed of the most senior appointed politicians of the executive branch of the Government of Colombia. Members of the Cabinet are generally the heads of a Ministry (government department), ...

, going from oldest to youngest. After the ratification of the

Colombian Constitution of 1886 The Colombian Constitution of 1886 was the constitution that remade the United States of Colombia into the Republic of Colombia, and replaced the federal republic with a unitary state. Following the Colombian Civil War (1884–1885), a coalitio ...

, the vice-presidency was reinstituted, but because of the resignation of vice president Eliseo Payán in 1887 and the later accession of vice president

Miguel Antonio Caro Miguel Antonio Caro Tobar (November 10, 1843 – August 5, 1909) was a Colombian scholar, poet, journalist, philosopher, orator, philologist, lawyer, and politician. Early life His father, José Eusebio Caro and Mariano Ospina Rodríguez ...

to the presidency in 1892, Congress was forced to elect interim presidential designates once again. In 1905, President

Rafael Reyes Rafael Reyes Prieto (December 5, 1849 – February 18, 1921) was a Colombian politician and soldier who was the Chief of Staff of the Colombian National Army and President of Colombia (1904–1909).Gobernantes Colombianos, Ignacio Arismendi Pos ...

abolished once again the vice presidency, and amended the constitution to allow him to choose only when necessary the presidential designates in order to avoid historical rivalries between President and Vice President such as the coup against

Manuel Antonio Sanclemente Manuel Antonio Sanclemente Sanclemente (September 19, 1814 – March 12, 1902) was President of Colombia between 1898 and 1900.Gobernantes Colombianos, Ignacio Arismendi Posada, Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edición, Page 141, Bogot ...

by his vice president

José Manuel Marroquín Jose Manuel Cayetano Marroquín Ricaurte (August 6, 1827 – September 19, 1908) was a Colombian political figure and the 44th President of Colombia. Life José Manuel Marroquín was born in Bogotá, on August 6, 1827. Marroquín studied lit ...

, but a year after his 1909 overthrow, in 1910, Congress reinstituted the titles of First and Second Presidential Designates, giving Senate the task of electing new ones every two years. Because of constitutional reforms in 1945, the title of Second Presidential Designate was terminated, leaving just one presidential designate. The Colombian Constitution of 1991, reestablished the vice presidency, but it allowed the election of a presidential designate until the end of the term of President César Gaviria. The last Presidential Designate was Juan Manuel Santos, who later served two terms as President of Colombia.

References

* {{cite web, last=Aguilera Peña, first=Mario, title=La Designatura Presidencial: Una genuina institución colombiana, publisher=Luís Ángel Arango Library, date=2005-06-23, accessdate=2008-11-21, url=https://www.banrepcultural.org/biblioteca-virtual/credencial-historia/numero-94/la-designatura-presidencial, language=Spanish Titles Government of Colombia

History

See also

References