Colombia's judicial independence and institutional evolution

The Colombian judicial system has undergone significant institutional evolution since the 1821 Constitution sanctioned by Simón Bolívar. Originally established to create a High Court of Justice, the Supreme Court of Justice has evolved into a critical branch of public power, serving as a check on other branches, a court of cassation, and a body for constitutional control until the 1991 reform created the Constitutional Court.

Throughout its 205-year history, judicial independence has faced various threats. These include violent attacks by criminal organizations, such as the arson of the Supreme Court headquarters and the assassination of magistrates and justice officials by drug traffickers. Additionally, the judiciary has faced challenges from other state organs, such as the DAS wiretapping scandal, and internal corruption, exemplified by the ‘cartel de la toga’ case, which the Court itself addressed to uphold the rule of law.