Legal Advisory Bureau | Ministerio del Interior

The Legal Directorate environment provides for the permanent communication with citizens, with non-governmental organizations, with the Judicial Branch and public organizations at all levels, especially those in the Administrative Sector for the Interior, to provide services such as: solution of rights to petition on legal matters in general, attention to specific requests concerning the legal duties of the Ministry and the legal representation of the Entity at all judicial bureaus nationwide.

Decree 1319 of 1998 provides the filing requirements and criteria that the Ministry must follow to grant special legal entity status by specifying – inter alia – the kind of documentation that must be enclosed and the terms for the respective studies and adjustments.

The duties of the Legal Advisory Bureau include:

To contribute in the formulation of policies aiming at the legal strengthening of the Ministry’s dependencies regarding its matters of competence.
To analyze, project and endorse, for the Minister or his delegate signature, the administrative acts and enquiries determined by it, and which must be subscribed pursuant to the Political Constitution and the law.
To prepare, study and issue a concept administrative act drafts, contracts and/or agreements that must be subscribed to or proposed by the entity, and on any other pertinent matters regarding the nature of the Ministry and its competences, notwithstanding the functions inherent to Contractual Management Sub-Directorate.
To represent the Ministry, in and out of court, in the processes and acts filed against it or which it must promote, by means of a power of attorney or delegation, and to supervise the corresponding proceedings.
To direct and to coordinate the activities related to the coercive jurisdiction process of the Ministry and the Fund for Participation and Democracy Strengthening.
To propose, participate and analyze the regulation draft laws submitted to the Ministry’s consideration, to issue a concept on their legal viability and duly track them with respect to the legislative initiatives of the Interior Administrative Sector entities, together with the Legislative Affairs Directorate.
To coordinate and process the resources, direct revocations and, in general, all legal acts related to the Ministry’s functions that do not pertain to other dependencies of the entity.
To issue a concept about the constitutionality and consistency with the current legal ruling of the legislative initiatives regarding the Ministry of Interior matters, notwithstanding the competences of the Legal Secretariat of the Administrative Department of the Presidency.
To participate in the coordinated development of public policies regarding matters pertaining to the Ministry’s functions, within the framework of its competencies.
To register non-profit foreign corporations of private law, which establish permanent businesses in Colombia.
To issue the certificate of good standing of non-profit foreign corporations, which establish permanent business in Colombia, and to keep a Public Registry thereof.
To issue the administrative acts ordering the filing of special or extended legal entity requests of religious organizations, as pertaining to the Ministry.
To file and process all acts aimed at ensuring freedom of religion and the right to freely profess a religion or belief.
To issue administrative deeds to extend the legal effects of the special legal entities acknowledged by the Ministry, to the religious entities affiliated or associated therewith and to make the corresponding entries in the Public Registry of Religious Organizations.
To determine whether the statutory reforms adopted by the religious organizations with special or extended legal entity status acknowledged by the Ministry of the Interior comply with Act 25 of 1992 and Act 133 of 1994 and any others modify them regulate them.
To keep the Public Registry of Religious Organizations.
To verify and register in the Public Registry of Religious Entities, the appointment of the legal representative of the religious organizations with special or extended legal entity status acknowledged by the Ministry of Interior, as well as any amendments to the bylaws.
To coordinate and prepare the different reports required by law, requested by control agencies and, in general, all those requested pursuant to the nature of its duties.
To study and issue a concept on the impediments and disqualifications of governors and the Mayor of Bogota, D.C. and, when applicable, to draft decrees appointing ad hoc governors and mayors.
To support the Directorate for Democracy, Citizen Participation and Community Action in the study of inabilities and incompatibilities of the electoral candidates.
To support the development and maintenance of the Institutional Management Integrated System and the compliance of its recommendations within its scope of competence.
To attend the requests and consultations related to its matters of competence.

Any other assigned functions corresponding to the nature of the dependency.

Head of the Legal Advisory Office:

Liliana García Lizarazo

Extension: 3001

liliana.garcia@mininterior.gov.co