The initiative, which received unanimous support from representatives, was promoted by the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Attorney General’s Office to propose concrete solutions to reduce judicial congestion, expedite sentencing, and strengthen victims’ rights within the Colombian criminal justice system.

According to the acting Minister of Justice, Augusto Ocampo, the approved bill represents a crucial step forward in bringing justice closer to the people in terms of equity and for the well-being of citizens.

The proposal’s content restores the original spirit of the accusatory criminal justice system, and its main goal is to reduce the turnaround time for criminal proceedings and avoid the statute of limitations in thousands of cases, which have already exceeded 43,000 ones in recent years.

Currently, according to the Ministry of Justice, court rulings can take more than a decade, while the reform seeks to ensure that sentences are issued within one to twelve months, which also generates savings for the State.

The approved law proposes measures such as comprehensive reparation, the expansion of benefits for accepting charges, including cases of flagrante crime, and sentence reductions for certain violations of the law, under specific conditions.

It also introduces the use of advance evidence and strengthens the principle of opportunity, allowing for the suspension of procedural terms to avoid the statute of limitations, according to the ministerial portfolio in charge.

Once the conciliation process is concluded with the senators’ approval, the reform will be submitted for presidential approval.

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