Congress maintains election of general comptroller despite earthquake

On August 10, 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake with its epicenter in Chocó caused the postponement of Congress sessions to the following week. Despite the interruption, the leadership confirmed that the election of the new general comptroller will proceed as scheduled.

General comptroller election remains scheduled

The vote is scheduled for the morning of August 12, 2026, at 9 a.m., in a plenary session of Congress. Senate leadership reiterated that the session convened for that date remains fully confirmed.

Historic Pact seeks to postpone the vote

Representatives of the Historic Pact argue that the country must focus its efforts on addressing the tragedy that affected several cities, especially in the southwest. For this reason, the coalition intends to request a postponement of the election.

Risk of procedural flaw

If the date is changed, there is a risk of creating a procedural flaw, a situation that could invalidate the entire electoral process. In May 2023, the State Council annulled the selection of then‑comptroller Carlos Hernán Rodríguez due to a similar flaw, following a lawsuit by Jennifer Pedraza and Cristian Avendaño.

Candidates in the race

The names comprising the scramble include Jorge Eliécer Laverde Vargas, Luis Enrique Abadía García, Andrés Castro Franco, Ana Elena Monsalvo Herrera, Diana Carolina Torres García, Julián Mauricio Ruiz Rodríguez, Amanda Madrid Panesso, Karol González Mora, Carlos Mario Zuluaga Pardo, and Rosalba Jazmín Cabrales Romero. The candidates continue seeking support among the various communities.

Government and Senate positions

The national government declared it will not intervene in the selection, but acknowledged that the governing coalition may back a candidate if it consolidates support around a name. The Senate, for its part, reaffirmed that the election will take place according to the calendar, regardless of the postponement of other sessions.

With information from Semana.