Introduction to Colombian Constitutional Law

The 1991 Colombian Constitution introduced principles and mechanisms that have shaped constitutional thought far beyond Colombia's borders. Yet much of this rich tradition remains inaccessible to the English-speaking world. Introduction to Colombian Constitutional Law, by the Department of Constitutional Law of the Universidad Externado de Colombia is both a welcoming gesture towards our visitors at the World Congress of Constitutional Law (WCCL 2026) and an attempt to correct that imbalance.

Organized into seven chapters, this volume offers rigorous and accessible accounts of the Constitution's most significant features: the doctrine of fundamental rights and the acción de tutela; the rights of indigenous peoples; women's rights and gender equality; the design of the legislative and judicial branches; the Colombian presidential system and its mechanisms of control; and transitional constitutionalism as it emerged from the peace process. Together, they provide readers with the conceptual tools needed to engage seriously with one of Latin America's most dynamic and consequential constitutional traditions.

We trust this book serves as a point of entry for scholars approaching Colombian constitutionalism for the first time, and as a substantive reference for those who seek to explore it in greater depth.