# Acting President of Colombia

An acting president of Colombia is a person who lawfully exercises the powers and duties of the President of Colombia even though that person does not hold office in his own right. There is an established line of presidential succession in which officials of the Colombian national government can be called upon to assume presidential responsibilities if the main president becomes incapacitated, dies, resigns, is removed from office (by Impeachment by accusation by the Supreme Court of Justice) during his four-year term, or if a president-elect has not been elected by Inauguration Day or has not qualified by that date.
The vice president immediately assumes the presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president from office. Similarly, if a president-elect died during the transition period, or declined to serve, the vice president-elect would become president on Inauguration Day. A vice president can also become acting president if the president becomes incapacitated. If the presidency and vice presidency were simultaneously vacant, the eventual successor will not become president, but only will be in charge. Since 1886 to date, nineteen people, including three vice presidents and sixteen designates have served as acting president.
Vice presidents and designates who served as acting president :
| Acting President | Beginning | End | President | Reason |
| José María Campo | 7 August 1886 | 7 January 1887 | Rafael Núñez | Disease |
| Eliseo Payán | 5 January 1887 | 4 June 1887 | Rafael Núñez | Disease |
| Eliseo Payán | 12 December 1887 | 8 February 1888 | Rafael Núñez | Disease |
| Carlos Holguín Mallarino | 7 August 1888 | 7 August 1892 | Rafael Núñez | Disease |
| Miguel Antonio Caro | 7 August 1892 | 7 August 1898 | Rafael Núñez | Disease |
| Antonio Basilio Cuervo | 16 January 1893 | 17 January 1893 | Miguel Antonio Caro | Temporary absence |
| Guillermo Quintero Calderón | 12 March 1896 | 17 March 1896 | Miguel Antonio Caro | Temporary absence |
| Euclídes de Angulo | 9 March 1908 | 14 April 1908 | Rafael Reyes | Temporary absence |
| Jorge Holguín | 9 June 1909 | 4 August 1909 | Rafael Reyes | Resignation |
| Ramón González Valencia | 4 August 1909 | 7 August 1910 | Rafael Reyes | Resignation |
| Jorge Holguín | 11 November 1921 | 7 August 1922 | Marco Fidel Suárez | Resignation |
| Carlos Lozano | 9 October 1942 | 19 October 1942 | Alfonso López Pumarejo | Temporary absence |
| Darío Echandía | 19 October 1943 | 16 May 1944 | Alfonso López Pumarejo | Temporary absence |
| Alberto Lleras Camargo | 7 August 1945 | 7 August 1946 | Alfonso López Pumarejo | Resignation |
| Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez | 5 November 1951 | 13 June 1953 | Laureano Gómez | Disease |
| Gabriel París Gordillo | 30 July 1955 | 3 August 1955 | Gustavo Rojas Pinilla | Temporary absence |
| José Antonio Montalvo | 6 August 1963 | 8 August 1963 | Guillermo León Valencia | Temporary absence |
| Rafael Azuero Manchola | 21 July 1973 | 24 July 1973 | Misael Pastrana | Temporary absence |
| Indalecio Liévano | 20 September 1975 | 24 September 1975 | Alfonso López Michelsen | Temporary absence |
| Víctor Mosquera Chaux | 3 February 1981 | 11 February 1981 | Julio César Turbay | Temporary absence |
| Carlos Lemos Simmonds | 14 January 1998 | 24 January 1998 | Ernesto Samper | Disease |