Colombia:Colombian president Álvaro Uribe has said that he may run for a third term if his coalition fails to unite around a strong candidate, prompting debate yesterday about the future of democracy in the conflict-weary country.
Mr Uribe, an important US ally in the now left-leaning Andean region, won a second four-year term last year after the constitution was changed to allow one re-election. Many want him to run again in 2010, while others fear that such a move would put Colombia on an authoritarian path.
Mr Uribe told supporters at a private meeting on Wednesday that he would be open to a third campaign if another candidate could not be found and there was a "catastrophe", lawmaker Nancy Gutierrez said.