Colombia uses the national motto “Libertad y Orden,” meaning “Liberty and Order.”
The phrase appears on a golden scroll above the shield in Colombia’s coat of arms. The emblem is topped by an Andean condor holding an olive crown, while the shield contains symbols linked to Colombia’s history, geography and resources.
The motto’s institutional roots go back to the Republic of New Granada. Colombia’s coat of arms was designed by Francisco de Paula Santander and adopted through Act 3 of 9 May 1834. The arms received later non-essential modifications in 1924, but the motto remains part of the design used by the Republic of Colombia.
The phrase can be confused with slogans or patriotic expressions from other Spanish-speaking countries. “Libertad y Orden” is specifically associated with Colombia and should not be confused with “Patria o Muerte,” used in other political and national contexts. The lower part of the Colombian shield also shows the Isthmus of Panama, recalling territory that belonged to Colombia until 1903.