Democratic Center Loses Seat in Colombian Senate After Ciro Ramirez Conviction

Written on 03/26/2026
Josep Freixes
Ciro Ramirez’s conviction for corruption in Colombia leaves his party, the Democratic Center, with one fewer seat in the Senate. Credit: IG Ciro Ramirez.

The 23-year prison sentence handed down to Senator Ciro Ramirez for corruption triggered an immediate shake-up in the Colombian Congress and led to a concrete political consequence: the right-wing Democratic Center party lost a seat in the Senate.

The ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice not only seals the judicial fate of the leader, but also directly impacts the balance of power in the Legislative branch.

The decision, which confirms the congressman’s participation in a corruption network that manipulated public contracts to divert more than COP 90 billion (approximately US$24.5 million), activates the “empty chair” rule, which prevents his party from replacing him.

In an already tense and polarized political scenario between the left and the right, the sentence reopens the debate over the responsibility of political parties for the crimes of their members and the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms to combat corruption.

The first-instance decision prompted reactions both within Ramirez’s party and from President Gustavo Petro, who recalled the now-convicted senator’s votes against initiatives promoted by his government.

Democratic Center loses seat in Colombian Senate after Ciro Ramirez conviction

Colombia’s Supreme Court found it proven that Ciro Ramirez participated in a criminal network dedicated to steering public contracts in exchange for economic and political benefits. According to the investigation, the scheme—known as the “Las Marionetas” case—operated through the irregular allocation of resources in departments such as Quindio and Tolima, with figures exceeding COP 90 billion.

The high court found him guilty of crimes including aggravated conspiracy to commit a crime, bribery, and improper interest in the awarding of contracts, sentencing him to 23 years in prison, in addition to a multimillion-dollar fine and a ban from holding public office for more than two decades.

The ruling, which can still be appealed, represents one of the most severe sentences against a sitting congressman in recent years. Ramirez, who had been arrested in 2023 and later regained his freedom while the process moved forward, had resumed his Senate seat before the final decision was announced.

Following the ruling, the senator himself reiterated his innocence and announced that he will turn to higher courts to try to overturn the judicial decision, in a strategy that will prolong the political and media impact of the case in the short term.

“I reaffirm my innocence in this process; in the 438 pages there is not a single one that demonstrates certainty of the conduct as required by law. We will file an appeal and we hope that this sentence can be overturned in the second instance,” the now-convicted politician said.

Beyond the personal fate of the congressman, the conviction has an immediate effect on the balance of power in the Senate. The Democratic Center, the party founded by former President Alvaro Uribe and to which Ramirez belongs, definitively loses a seat due to the application of the “empty chair” rule, which prevents the replacement of legislators convicted of corruption-related crimes.

Four months left in the congressional term

With this decision, the party reduces its representation in the upper chamber for the remainder of the 2022–2026 legislative period—four months—leaving the right-wing caucus with 12 senators.

This type of sanction seeks to punish not only the individual, but also to create incentives for parties to exercise greater control over their candidates and leaders. The loss of the seat comes amid campaigns and shifting alliances, which amplifies its impact, despite the fact that legislative elections to renew both chambers have already been held for July—an election in which Ramirez did not participate and in which his party obtained 3 million votes and 17 Senate seats.

However, given the impact of the judicial decision, the Democratic Center’s presidential candidate and current senator, Paloma Valencia, spoke out about the harsh sentence, stating that she respects judicial decisions and that both she and the party will wait for the second-instance ruling.

“We will fully support the fight against corruption. We will never be lenient with anyone’s corruption. Clean hands always. We hope that in higher courts Senator Ciro Ramirez can prove his innocence,” she said in a brief statement posted on her account on the social media platform X.

For his part, Colombian President Gustavo Petro also weighed in, recalling the votes in which Ciro Ramirez participated opposing initiatives from his government, such as the tax reform.

“This senator from the Democratic Center was allowed out for a time, and used his position to vote against the popular consultation and in the elections. Now justice is being served. Corrupt individuals voting against the people,” Petro wrote.