Colombia can only suspend app driving licenses for three years, not 25

By Julia Symmes Cobb

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia can only revoke the driving licenses of drivers who offer services through ride-hailing apps for three years, not 25, the president of the Constitutional Court said on Tuesday.

Ride-hailing apps like Uber have drawn the ire of authorities in the Andean country, where their use is widespread but illegal.

Colombia does not specifically regulate ride-hailing apps, but fined Uber more than $629,000 last month for obstructing a government visit in 2017.

The 25-year driving ban only applies to drivers who have been found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, court president Gloria Ortiz told reporters.

“The law that establishes the 25-year deprivation or waiting to re-obtain a driver’s license for persons punished for illegal passenger transportation does not apply to cases other than driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or psychoactive substances,” said Ortiz.

“For those illegally transporting people, the existing laws apply… which stipulates a maximum waiting period after repeal of three years,” she added.

An Uber representative said the company had no immediate comment.

In July, Colombia asked Uber to improve its data security in response to a 2016 breach that compromised the data of 267,000 Colombians.

(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb and Nelson Bocanegra; Editing by Gerry Doyle)