🇨🇴 Colombia
RepublicElectoral democracy
Abelardo de la Espriella
President · 71 days in office
How the political system works in Colombia
Colombia is governed as a republic. Its president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has led the country since Aug 7, 2026. Colombia has had 61 presidents since 1812. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral democracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Simón Bolívar
3,784 days
Shortest-serving
Clímaco Calderón
1 days
Average tenure
1,001 days
Abelardo de la Espriella: 93% below average
Female leaders
0 of 61
All male to date
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Colombia?
Across 62 completed terms, the average president of Colombia has served 1,001 days (about 2.7 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 2,045 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Colombia
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 |  Abelardo de la Espriella | Aug 7, 2026 | Incumbent | 71 |
| 62 |  Gustavo Petro | Aug 7, 2022 | Aug 7, 2026 | 1,461 |
| 61 |  Iván Duque | Aug 7, 2018 | Aug 7, 2022 | 1,461 |
| 60 |  Juan Manuel Santos | Aug 7, 2010 | Aug 7, 2018 | 2,922 |
| 59 |  Álvaro Uribe Vélez | Aug 7, 2002 | Aug 7, 2010 | 2,922 |
| 58 |  Andrés Pastrana Arango | Aug 7, 1998 | Aug 7, 2002 | 1,461 |
| 57 | Carlos Lemos Simmonds | Jan 12, 1998 | Jan 24, 1998 | 12 |
| 56 |  Ernesto Samper | Aug 7, 1994 | Aug 7, 1998 | 1,461 |
| 55 |  César Gaviria | Aug 7, 1990 | Aug 7, 1994 | 1,461 |
| 54 |  Virgilio Barco Vargas | Aug 7, 1986 | Aug 7, 1990 | 1,461 |
| 53 |  Belisario Betancur | Aug 7, 1982 | Aug 7, 1986 | 1,461 |
| 52 |  Julio César Turbay | Aug 7, 1978 | Aug 7, 1982 | 1,461 |
| 51 | Aug 7, 1974 | Aug 7, 1978 | 1,461 | |
| 50 |  Misael Pastrana Borrero | Aug 7, 1970 | Aug 7, 1974 | 1,461 |
| 49 |  Carlos Lleras Restrepo | Aug 7, 1966 | Aug 7, 1970 | 1,461 |
| 48 |  Guillermo León Valencia | Aug 7, 1962 | Aug 7, 1966 | 1,461 |
| 47 |  Alberto Lleras Camargo | Aug 7, 1958 | Aug 7, 1962 | 1,461 |
| 46 |  Gabriel París Gordillo | May 10, 1957 | Aug 7, 1958 | 454 |
| 45 |  Gustavo Rojas Pinilla | Jun 13, 1953 | May 10, 1957 | 1,427 |
| 44 |  Laureano Gómez | Aug 7, 1950 | Nov 5, 1951 | 455 |
| 43 |  Mariano Ospina Pérez | Aug 7, 1946 | Aug 7, 1950 | 1,461 |
| 42 |  Alfonso López Pumarejo | Aug 7, 1942 | Aug 7, 1946 | 1,461 |
| 41 |  Eduardo Santos | Aug 7, 1938 | Aug 7, 1942 | 1,461 |
| 40 |  Enrique Olaya Herrera | Aug 7, 1930 | Aug 7, 1934 | 1,461 |
| 39 |  Miguel Abadía Méndez | Aug 7, 1926 | Aug 7, 1930 | 1,461 |
| 38 |  Pedro Nel Ospina Vázquez | Aug 7, 1922 | Aug 7, 1926 | 1,461 |
| 37 |  Marco Fidel Suárez | Aug 10, 1918 | Nov 11, 1921 | 1,189 |
| 36 |  José Vicente Concha | Aug 7, 1914 | Aug 7, 1918 | 1,461 |
| 35 |  Euclídes de Angulo | Mar 9, 1908 | Apr 14, 1908 | 36 |
| 34 |  José Manuel Marroquín | Jul 31, 1900 | Aug 7, 1904 | 1,468 |
| 33 |  Manuel Antonio Sanclemente | Aug 7, 1898 | Jul 31, 1900 | 723 |
| 32 |  Miguel Antonio Caro Tobar | Aug 7, 1892 | Aug 7, 1898 | 2,191 |
| 31 |  Eliseo Payán | Dec 1, 1887 | Feb 8, 1888 | 69 |
| 30 |  Rafael Núñez | Apr 1, 1886 | Sep 18, 1894 | 3,092 |
| 29 |  Ezequiel Hurtado | Apr 1, 1884 | Aug 10, 1884 | 131 |
| 28 |  José Eusebio Otalora | Dec 22, 1882 | Apr 1, 1884 | 466 |
| 27 |  Clímaco Calderón | Dec 21, 1882 | Dec 22, 1882 | 1 |
| 26 |  Francisco Javier Zaldúa | Apr 1, 1882 | Dec 21, 1882 | 264 |
| 25 |  Julián Trujillo Largacha | Apr 1, 1878 | Apr 8, 1880 | 738 |
| 24 |  Manuel María Ramírez | Dec 22, 1877 | Dec 24, 1877 | 2 |
| 23 |  Santiago Pérez de Manosalbas | Apr 1, 1874 | Apr 1, 1876 | 731 |
| 22 |  Manuel Murillo Toro | Apr 1, 1872 | Apr 1, 1874 | 730 |
| 21 |  Eustorgio Salgar | Apr 1, 1870 | Apr 1, 1872 | 731 |
| 20 |  Santos Gutiérrez | Apr 1, 1868 | Apr 1, 1870 | 730 |
| 19 |  Santos Acosta | May 23, 1867 | Apr 1, 1868 | 314 |
| 18 |  Joaquín Riascos | May 12, 1867 | Jun 28, 1867 | 47 |
| 17 |  Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera | May 22, 1866 | Nov 1, 1867 | 528 |
| 16 |  José María Rojas Garrido | Apr 1, 1866 | May 22, 1866 | 51 |
| 15 | Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera | May 14, 1863 | Apr 8, 1864 | 330 |
| 14 |  Bartolomé Calvo | Apr 1, 1861 | Jun 10, 1861 | 70 |
| 13 |  Juan José Nieto Gil | Jan 25, 1861 | Jul 18, 1861 | 174 |
| 12 |  Mariano Ospina Rodríguez | May 22, 1858 | Mar 31, 1861 | 1,044 |
| 11 |  José de Obaldía | Dec 4, 1854 | Apr 1, 1855 | 118 |
| 10 |  José María Melo | Apr 17, 1854 | Dec 4, 1854 | 231 |
| 9 |  José María Obando | Apr 1, 1853 | Apr 17, 1854 | 381 |
| 8 |  Pedro Alcántara Herrán | Apr 1, 1841 | Apr 1, 1845 | 1,461 |
| 7 |  Francisco de Paula Santander | Oct 7, 1832 | Apr 1, 1837 | 1,637 |
| 6 |  Domingo Caycedo | May 3, 1831 | Nov 22, 1831 | 203 |
| 5 | Domingo Caycedo | May 4, 1830 | Jun 13, 1830 | 40 |
| 4 |  Simón Bolívar | Dec 17, 1819 | Apr 27, 1830 | 3,784 |
| 3 |  José Miguel Pey de Andrade | Mar 28, 1815 | Jul 28, 1815 | 122 |
| 2 |  Custodio García Rovira | Dec 12, 1814 | Mar 28, 1815 | 106 |
| 1 |  Camilo Torres Tenorio | Oct 4, 1812 | Oct 5, 1814 | 731 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Colombia?
- Abelardo de la Espriella has been President of Colombia since Aug 7, 2026.
- How is the leader of Colombia chosen?
- Colombia is governed as a republic. Its president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has led the country since Aug 7, 2026. Colombia has had 61 presidents since 1812. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral democracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Colombia?
- Simón Bolívar, with 3,784 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Colombia?
- Across 62 completed terms, the average president of Colombia has served 1,001 days (about 2.7 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 2,045 days.
- Has Colombia ever had a female president?
- No. All 61 presidents of Colombia to date have been men.