Key Benefits:
569 OF 2000
(February 2)
Official Journal No 43,883 of 7 February 2000
By means of which the "Cooperation Agreement on Legal Assistance between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States" is approved, made in Mexico City on 7 (7) December of a thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight (1998).
COLOMBIA CONGRESS
Having regard to the text of the "Cooperation Agreement on Legal Assistance between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States", made in Mexico City, on the seventh day of December (7) Ninety-eight (1998), which to the letter says:
(To be transcribed: photocopy of the full text of the international instrument mentioned, duly authenticated by the Head of the Legal Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
" COOPERATION AGREEMENT ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
MEXICAN UNITED STATES.
The Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States, hereinafter referred to as "The Parties";
Considering the bonds of friendship and cooperation that unite them;
Acknowledging that the fight against crime requires coordinated action by the States;
Aware that strengthening the mechanisms of legal cooperation is necessary to prevent the increase of any criminal manifestation;
Encouraged by the purpose of intensifying legal cooperation;
In observance of their respective internal laws, as well as the principles of International Law,
You have agreed to the following:
The Parties are obliged to provide the widest legal assistance, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and their respective legal systems, in the conduct of criminal investigations, prosecutions and procedures, competence is relevant to the authorities of the Requesting Party.
1. For the purposes of this Agreement:
(a) "Letter rogatory, Urged or Request for Legal Assistance" shall be construed as synonyms;
(b) "Instruments of crime" means goods of any kind, used or intended to be used for the commission of a crime;
(c) "proceeds of crime" means any property, derived or directly or indirectly obtained from the commission of a crime or its equivalent value;
(d) "Goods" means assets of any kind, bodily or incorporated, movable or immovable, tangible or intangible, and documents or legal instruments that credit property or other rights to such assets;
(e) "Preventive embargo, kidnapping, seizure of property or insurance" means the determination of competent authority to temporarily prohibit the transfer, conversion, exchange, disposal or mobilization of the goods, as well as the custody or temporary control of the same;
(f) "Neglect" means the definitive deprivation of property, products or instruments of the offence, by decision of the competent authority.
ARTICLE III. SCOPE OF ASSISTANCE.
1. The Parties shall provide legal assistance in the exchange of information, evidence, prosecutions and criminal proceedings. Such assistance shall include, inter alia:
a) Localization and identification of people and goods;
b) Notification of procedural acts;
c) Issuance of documents and procedural information;
d) Execution of home records and judicial inspections;
e) Receiving testimonies and interrogations;
(f) Citation and voluntary transfer of persons for the purposes of this Agreement, as witnesses or experts;
g) Precautionary measures on goods;
h) Exchange of information on judicial background;
(i) To provide for probative purposes copies of official or private documents, records or information in a governmental or private agency or agency of that party, provided that their domestic law permits;
j) Any other form of assistance, provided that the legislation of the Required Party permits.
ARTICLE IV. LIMITATIONS ON THE SCOPE OF ASSISTANCE.
1. The Requesting Party shall not use any information or evidence obtained through this Agreement for purposes other than an investigation, prosecution or criminal procedure, without prior authorization from the Required Party.
2. This Agreement does not empower the authorities of the Requesting Party to execute in the territory of the Required Party reserved functions exclusively to the authorities of the Required Party.
3. This Agreement shall not apply to:
(a) The detention of persons in order to be extradited, or to extradition requests;
(b) The execution of criminal sentences, including the transfer of convicted persons in order to comply with criminal sentences;
c) Assistance to individuals or to third countries.
ARTICLE V. CENTRAL AUTHORITIES.
1. The Parties designate the following Central Authorities as those responsible for submitting and receiving the applications that constitute the subject matter of this Agreement:
(a) By the Republic of Colombia, in relation to requests for assistance received in that country, the Central Authority shall be the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Nation. In relation to requests for assistance from Colombia, the Central Authorities will be the Prosecutor General of the Nation and the Ministry of Justice and Law.
b) By the United Mexican States, the designated Central Authority is the Attorney General's Office.
2. The Central Authorities shall communicate directly to each other and shall forward the requests to their competent authorities.
3. The Parties may, by means of diplomatic note, communicate the amendments to the designation of Central Authorities.
1. Applications shall be complied with in accordance with the legislation of the Required Party, unless otherwise provided for in this Agreement.
2. The Required Party shall provide legal assistance in accordance with the special forms and procedures indicated in the Requesting Party's request, except where these are incompatible with its internal law.
1. The Requested Party shall keep the request for legal assistance under reserve, unless its lifting is necessary to enforce the requirement.
2. If, for the performance or execution of the request for assistance, the lifting of the reservation is necessary, the Requested Party shall request its approval from the Requesting Party, by written communication, without which the request shall not be executed. request.
3. The Requesting Party, in accordance with its domestic law, shall maintain the reservation of the evidence and information provided by the Required Party.
ARTICLE VIII. REQUESTS FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
1. The request for legal assistance shall be made in writing. Under circumstances of an urgent nature or in the case that is permitted by the Require Party, applications may be made through a fax or by any other electronic means, but must be formalised within a period not exceeding twenty (20) calendar days and contain at least the following information:
(a) Name of the competent authority that is responsible for the investigation or the judicial procedure;
b) Purpose of the request and description of the assistance requested;
(c) Description of the facts that constitute the offence which is the subject of the application for legal assistance, by attaching or transcribing, in respect of the offences, the text of the relevant legal provisions;
d) Detail and foundation of any special procedure that the Requesting Party wants to be practiced;
e) The term within which the Requesting Party wants the request to be fulfilled;
(f) If any, the identity, nationality and residence or domicile of the person to be cited or notified and the relationship that such person has with the investigation or the process;
g) If any, the identity, nationality and residence or domicile of the person who is cited for the purposes of the proof or practice of proof;
h) All information that is necessary for the practice or the proof-out of the test.
ARTICLE IX. CONDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
1. The competent authority of the Require Party, if it determines that the execution of an application shall impede any investigation or criminal procedure being carried out on its territory, may defer its compliance or condition it in the Form as onsidere required.
2. The Central Authority of the Requested Party shall bring to the attention of the Central Authority of the Requesting Party as set out in the preceding paragraph, in order for it to accept the conditional assistance in which case it shall be subject to the conditions set.
3. Where a request for legal assistance cannot be complied with in whole or in part, the Requested Party shall inform the Requesting Party, expressly stating the reasons or causes of the non-compliance, in which case the Requesting Party shall decide if you insist on the application or you have deleted it.
ARTICLE X. DENIAL OF THE REQUEST.
1. The Required Party may deny assistance when:
(a) The request for legal assistance is contrary to its legal order or does not comply with the provisions of this Agreement;
(b) Consider that compliance with the application may impede an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution in its territory, except as provided in the article
2. The Requested Party shall inform the Requesting Party in written form of the refusal of assistance.
ARTICLE XI. ENFORCEMENT OF THE REQUEST FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
1 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. The requested Party shall fix the date and place of the application for legal assistance and shall communicate it in writing at the request of the Requesting Party.
2. The evidence to be carried out by the competent authorities of the Require Party shall be carried out in accordance with its legal order. The assessment of such evidence shall be governed by the domestic law of the Requesting Party.
3. The Required Party, in accordance with its domestic law, and at the request of the Requesting Party, may receive testimony from persons bound for a process or investigation to be pursued in the Requesting Party.
4. The tests carried out by the competent authorities of the Requested Party, in originals or authenticated copies, shall be forwarded to the Requesting Party through the Central Authority.
5. Documents or objects which have been sent in compliance with a request for legal assistance shall be returned when the requested Party so requests.
6. The Requesting Party may ask the Party for the presence of representatives of its competent authorities, as observers, in the execution of the request for legal assistance, and may require that in the absence of a test testimonial or expert, their representatives shall ask questions through the competent authority of the Redeemed Party.
7. The presence and participation of representatives shall be previously authorised by the Redeemed Party, which shall inform the Requesting Party in advance of the date, time and place of execution of the request for legal assistance.
8. The Requesting Party shall forward the relationship of the names, charges and reasons for the presence of its representatives, within a reasonable period of time before the date of the implementation of the application for legal assistance.
ARTICLE XII. APPEARANCE BEFORE THE REQUESTING PARTY.
1. The request for legal assistance sent to the competent authorities of the Requested Party, which has the purpose of summoning a witness or expert to the competent authorities of the Requesting Party, shall be transmitted by the Authority. Central to the Requesting Party as far as possible to the date fixed for the execution of the due diligence of the application.
2. The competent authority of the Redeemed Party shall proceed to the summons in accordance with the request made, the transfer must be voluntary and the consent of the person in writing must be recorded.
3. The request for legal assistance must mention the amount of the viatics and costs that the person is able to receive and who voluntarily consent to appear, on the occasion of their transfer.
ARTICLE XII BIS. HEARING BY VIDEOCONFERENCE. 2 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. Any person who has to provide a statement as a witness or expert to the judicial authorities or the Public Ministry of the Requesting Party and who is in the territory of the Requested Party may request that the hearing take place by videoconference in accordance with this Article.
2. The requested party shall consent to the hearing by video conference in so far as such a method is not contrary to its domestic law. If the Requested Party does not have the technical means to allow a video conference, the Requesting Party may make them available to it.
3. The following rules apply to the hearing by videoconference:
(a) the hearing shall be held in the presence of a competent authority of the Redeemed Party. This authority is also responsible for the identification of the person to whom the declaration is made and for the respect of the fundamental principles provided for in the internal legislation of the Required Party. In the event that the authority of the Redeemed Party considers that the fundamental principles of its right are not respected during the hearing, it shall immediately take the necessary measures to ensure that the hearing continues in accordance with those principles. principles;
(b) the competent authorities of the Parties shall agree, if necessary, on the measures relating to the protection of the person to whom the declaration is to be
;(c) the hearing shall be conducted directly by the Requesting Party or under its management, in accordance with its domestic law, and
(d) at the end of the hearing the competent authority of the Redeemed Party shall draw up an act indicating the date, time and place of the hearing, the identity of the person to whom the declaration was made, its content, and the identities and qualities of the person to whom the other persons who have participated in the hearing. This document shall be transmitted to the Requesting Party.
ARTICLE XII TER. SPONTANEOUS TRANSMISSION OF TEST AND INFORMATION MEANS. 2 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. Through the Central Authorities and within the limits of their internal legislation, the competent authorities of each Party may, without having been submitted a request for legal assistance in this regard, exchange information and means of proof in respect of criminally punishable acts where they consider that such transmission is such that it would allow the other Party to:
(a) submit a request for legal assistance under this Treaty;
b) initiating criminal proceedings, or
c) to facilitate the development of an ongoing criminal investigation.
2. The Party providing the information may, in accordance with its domestic law, subject to certain conditions its use by the target Party. The receiving Party shall be obliged to respect these conditions.
ARTICLE XIII. TEMPORARY WARRANTY.
1. The person, witness or expert who, as a result of a summons, appears before the competent authority of the Requesting Party, shall not be persecuted or detained for any facts or convictions prior to his departure from the territory of the Requested Party, or may be required to testify or testify in a different process.
2. The temporary guarantee provided for in the preceding paragraph shall cease to be effective if the person who appears to be present has not left the territory of the Requesting Party, having had the opportunity to do so, within 15 days of which has been notified to it by the competent authorities that its presence is no longer necessary, except in circumstances of force majeure or fortuitous cases, or having abandoned it, shall return to it.
ARTICLE XIV. STOPPING THE STOPPED.
1. (a) When the summons to declare to the competent authority of the Requesting Party refers to a person detained in the territory of the Redeemed Party, in order to access the request, it shall be indispensable for the detainee to give his consent to written;
(b) The competent authority of the Requesting Party shall be obliged to keep the person transferred in custody and to return it under the same conditions, as soon as the need for the application giving rise to the request has ceased. transfer, unless the competent authority of the Require Party expressly requests and in writing that such person is released;
(c) The costs arising from the application of this Article shall be borne by the Requesting Party;
d) The time served in the custody of the Requesting Party shall be credited to the sentence that has been imposed on the person transferred.
2. In all cases the decision on a transfer under paragraph 1. of this Article, it shall be the discretion of the competent authority of the Redeemed Party, and the refusal may be based, inter alia, on grounds of convenience or security.
ARTICLE XV. CRIME PRODUCTS OR INSTRUMENTS.
1. The competent authorities of the Require Party, upon request for legal assistance, shall endeavour to ascertain whether within their jurisdiction any product or instrument of a crime is found and shall notify the results or investigations to the competent authorities of the Requesting Party through the Central Authorities. Upon making the request, the Requesting Party shall notify the Required Party, the basis of its belief that such products or instrumentalities may be found in its jurisdiction.
2. When in compliance with paragraph 1. the products or instruments of the offence which are the subject of the request for legal assistance are found, the Requested Party at the request of the Requesting Party shall, if its legislation so permits, take the necessary measures to prevent any transaction, transfer or disposal of the same while a final decision on such products or instruments is pending.
3. Where the person convicted of a crime maintains the property, possession or possession of the goods or instruments of that offence and in the judgment an obligation of pecuniary content is imposed, the confiscation of any good shall be ordered, or any a further measure of a definitive nature, the Party may execute such a judgment to the extent that its domestic law permits.
4. Where the person convicted of a crime has disposed of the products or instruments thereof, the competent authority of the Requested Party, at the request of the competent authority of the Requesting Party, shall, by means of the procedures provided for in the internal legislation of the Required Party, if the third party obtained them without having known or suspected that the goods or instruments of the offence were or could have been dealt with. If the competent authority of the Replaced Party determines that the third party did not act in good faith, it shall order the confiscation of the goods in accordance with its domestic law.
ARTICLE XVI. INTERIM OR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.
1. In accordance with the provisions of article 1or. and with the provisions of this Article, the competent authority of one of the Parties may request the other party to obtain an order for the purpose of preemptively embargoing, sequestering, securing or seizing property for the purpose of available for the execution of some precautionary measure.
2. A requirement under this Article shall include:
a) A copy of the preventive, sequestration, securing, or seizure order;
b) A summary of the facts of the case, including a description of the offence, where and when it was committed and a reference to the relevant legal provisions;
(c) If possible, a description of the goods, their commercial value in respect of which the interim or precautionary measure is intended to be carried out, or considered to be available for the freezing or, sequestration, security or seizure and the relationship of these with the person against whom it was initiated;
(d) A statement of the sum to be taken, sequestering, securing or seizing and the basis of the calculation of the sum;
e) The estimate of the time that will elapse before the case is passed on to trial and the time that will pass until the final court decision is made;
3. The competent authority of the Requesting Party shall inform the competent authority of the Redeemed Party of any change within the period referred to in point (e) of the preceding paragraph and in so doing shall indicate the stage of the procedure. which has been reached.
4. The competent authorities of each Party shall promptly report on the exercise of any appeal or decision taken with respect to the requested or adopted seizure, seizure, assurance or seizure.
5. The competent authority of the Requested Party may impose a term limiting the duration of the requested measure, which shall be promptly notified to the competent authority of the Requesting Party, explaining its reasons.
6. Any requirement shall be executed only in accordance with the internal legislation of the Redear Party and to the extent permitted and in particular, in observance and guarantee of the rights of any person who may be affected by the execution of the measure.
ARTICLE XVII. EXECUTION OF CONFISCATION ORDERS.
1. In the event that the request for assistance relates to a confiscation order, the competent authority of the Require Party may, taking into account the provisions of Article 1 (
):(a) Execute the confiscation order issued by a competent authority of the Requesting Party concerning the instruments or products of the offence, or
b) Initiate a procedure in order to obtain a confiscation order under its domestic law.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 8or. of this Agreement, for the purposes of this Article, the following shall be
:(a) A copy of the confiscation order, duly certified by the competent official who issued it;
(b) Information on evidence supporting the basis on which the order of confiscation was issued;
c) Information indicating that the statement is properly executed;
(d) Where appropriate, the identification of the goods available for execution or the goods in respect of which legal assistance is sought, stating the relationship between those goods and the person against whom the order of confiscation;
e) Any other information that may assist in the execution of the application for legal assistance.
3. Where the internal legislation of the Require Party does not permit the implementation of an application in its entirety, it may comply with it to the extent possible and shall communicate it through the Central Authority.
4. The competent authority of the Require Party may request additional information or evidence in order to carry out the requirement.
5. The order of confiscation shall be executed in accordance with the internal legislation of the Required Party and in particular in observance of the rights of any person who may be affected by its execution.
6. In compliance with this article, in each case the Requested Party may agree with the Requesting Party on how to share the value of the goods obtained as a result of the execution of the requirement, taking into account the amount of information and cooperation provided by the Redeemed Party in accordance with its domestic law.
To comply with this paragraph, the Parties may conclude additional agreements.
ARTICLE XVIII. GOOD FAITH THIRD-PARTY INTERESTS ON THE GOODS.
1. As provided for in this Agreement, the competent authorities of the Redeemed Party shall, in accordance with their domestic law, take the necessary measures to protect the interests and rights of third parties in good faith on the goods affected by the enforcement of requests for legal assistance.
2. Any person affected by a preventive, sequestration, securing or seizure order may institute the resources provided for in the internal legislation of the Required Party to the competent authority of that Party.
ARTICLE XVIII BIS. OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF COOPERATION. 3 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: > This Agreement shall not prevent the Parties from providing other forms of cooperation or legal assistance under specific agreements, understandings or shared practices, to be in accordance with their respective agreements. domestic legislation and international treaties applicable to them.
ARTICLE XVIII TER. RETURN OF ASSETS OR ASSETS SEIZED. 3 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. The return of assets or assets seized shall be based on the provisions of this Treaty.
2. As a general rule, the return will be made after the sentence handed down in the Required Party. However, it may return the goods before the completion of their procedures.
ARTICLE XVIII QUATER. REQUESTS FOR THE SHARING OF ASSETS OR ASSETS SEIZED. 3 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. The Requested Party may request the Requesting Party to share assets or assets seized in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, including in its application:
(a) the description of the cooperation provided, providing sufficient details to enable the Requesting Party to identify the assets or assets seized and, where appropriate, the maintenance costs incurred by the execution of the assistance;
(b) the Central Authority and/or competent authorities involved in the implementation of legal assistance; and
c) the proportion of assets or assets seized which in their judgment correspond to the assistance provided.
2. The Requesting Party shall inform the Required Party, through its Central Authority, and as soon as possible, the result of its request to share the assets or assets, expressing the reasons for its decision.
3. If the Requesting Party considers that there has been cooperation of the Replaced Party in the confiscation of the assets or assets, it may by mutual agreement share those assets or assets seized with the latter. The request for the sharing of seized assets or assets shall be made within the year following the date on which the judgment was given, unless the Parties agree otherwise.
4. Where there are identifiable victims, the decision on their rights shall precede the sharing of assets or assets seized between the Parties.
5. For the sharing of seized assets or assets, opinions shall be taken into account by the valuers appointed by the Central Authority of the Redeemed Party.
6. Where the value of the seized assets or assets converted into money or the legal assistance provided by the Redeemed Party is considered to be lower by both Parties, they may agree not to carry out the sharing of goods.
ARTICLE XVIII QUINTUS. PAYMENT OF SHARED ASSETS OR ASSETS.
3 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. The result of the agreed sharing between the Parties will be paid in the currency that they determine by mutual agreement, by means of electronic transfer of resources or cheques.
2. Payment will be made:
(a) to the competent body or bank account designated by the Mexican Central Authority when the United Mexican States is the Rebeloved Party;
(b) to the competent entity designated by the Colombian Central Authority, when the Republic of Colombia is the Required Party, or
(c) to any other beneficiary or beneficiaries that the Requesting Party designates for that purpose.
ARTICLE XVIII SEXTUS. CONDITIONS OF CONDITIONS. 3 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, none may impose conditions as to the use of the result of the sharing of seized assets or assets and, in particular, require sharing with any other State, organization or individual.
1. The ordinary costs incurred by the execution of a request for legal assistance shall be borne by the Party Redear. Where expenditure of an extraordinary nature is required for this purpose, the Parties shall consult each other to determine the terms and conditions under which the requirement is to be met, as well as the manner in which expenditure shall be borne.
2. The fees of experts, travel expenses, accommodation or other expenses of witnesses or experts to be transferred pursuant to a request for legal assistance, including those of the officials accompanying them, shall be borne by the Requesting Party.
ARTICLE XX. EXEMPTION FROM LEGALIZATION. 4 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: > The documents provided for in this Agreement shall be exempt from any consular legalisation or analogous formality.
ARTICLE XX BIS. MECHANISMS TO FACILITATE LEGAL COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS. 5 of Law 1590 of 2012. The new text is as follows: >
1. The Parties shall cooperate further through the following modalities:
(a) exchange of experiences in criminal investigation, terrorism, corruption, human trafficking, narcotics and chemical inputs, money laundering, organized crime and related crimes, among others;
(b) exchange of information on changes to their judicial systems and new jurisprudential criteria in the areas covered by this Instrument, and (c) training and updating of officials responsible for the criminal investigation and prosecution.
2. For the purpose of carrying out the activities and meetings provided for in this Treaty, the Central Authorities shall agree on the methodology to be used for each of them, as well as their duration and number of participants.
3. The Parties shall finance the cooperation referred to in this Article with the resources allocated in their respective budgets, in accordance with their availability, affectation and their respective internal legislation.
ARTICLE XXI. CONSULTATIONS. The Central Authorities of the Parties shall hold consultations to ensure that this Agreement is as effective as possible.
ARTICLE XXII. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. Any dispute arising out of the interpretation or application of this Agreement shall be settled by consultation between the Parties, through diplomatic channels.
ARTICLE XXIII. ENTRY INTO FORCE AND DENUNCIATION. This Agreement shall enter into force at sixty (60) days from the date on which the Parties communicate, by diplomatic note, the fulfilment of their necessary constitutional requirements for such effect.
This Agreement may be denounced by either Party, at any time, by diplomatic note, which shall have effects six (6) months after the date of receipt by the other Party. The complaint shall not affect requests for legal assistance in progress.
Subscribed in Mexico City, on December 7, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight (1998), in two original copies, in Spanish, both texts being equally authentic.
By the Government of the Republic of Colombia
The Foreign Minister,
GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ DE SOTO.
By the Government of the United Mexican States
The Foreign Secretary,
ROSARIO GREEN.
The Chief of the Legal Office (E.) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
NOTES:
That the present reproduction is faithful photocopy taken from the original text of the, "Cooperation Agreement on Legal Assistance between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States", made in the city of Mexico, on the seven (7) of the month of December of the year thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight (1998), a document that rests in the archives of the Legal Office of this Ministry.
Dada en Santa Fe de Bogotá, D. C., at twenty-five (25) days of the month of March of a thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine (1999).
Chief Legal Officer (E.),
MARGARITA MILENA CANAS JIMENEZ.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF PUBLIC POWER
REPUBLIC OF THE REPUBLIC
Santa Fe de Bogota, D. C., April 16, 1999.
Approved. Submit to the consideration of the honorable National Congress for the constitutional effects.
ANDRES PASTRANA ARANGO
The Foreign Minister,
GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ DE SOTO.
DECRETA:
ARTICLE 1o. Approve the "Cooperation Agreement on Legal Assistance between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States", made in Mexico City, the Seven (7) December of a thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight (1998).
ARTICLE 2o. In accordance with the provisions of Article 1o. of Law 7a. In 1944, the "Cooperation Agreement on Legal Assistance between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the Government of the United Mexican States", made in Mexico City, on the seventh day of December (7) eight (1998), as per Article 1. of this law shall be adopted, shall bind the country from the date on which the international link with respect to the law is perfected.
ARTICLE 3o. This law governs from the date of its publication.
The President of the honorable Senate of the Republic,
MIGUEL PINEDO VIDAL.
The Secretary General of the honorable Senate of the Republic,
MANUEL ENRIQUEZ ROSERO.
The President of the honorable House of Representatives,
ARMANDO POMARICO RAMOS.
The Secretary General of the honorable House of Representatives,
GUSTAVO BUSTAMANTE MORATTO.
COLOMBIA-NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
COMMUNICATE AND PUBLISH.
Execute a review of the Constitutional Court in accordance with Article 241-10 of the Political Constitution.
Dada en Santa Fe de Bogota, D. C., 2 February 2000.
ANDRES PASTRANA ARANGO
The Foreign Minister,
GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ DE SOTO.
The Minister of Justice and Law,
ROMULO GONZALEZ TRUJILLO.
