BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia can only suspend the licenses of drivers who provide services via 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 has not specifically regulated ride-hailing apps, but last month fined Uber more than $629,000 for obstructing a 2017 regulatory visit.

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

“The law that defined the 25-year cancellation or wait to obtain a license again for those who were punished for illegally transporting individuals is not applicable for cases different to those of driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or psychoactive substances,” Ortiz said.

“People who are illegally transporting individuals will be governed by the previous laws ... which are a maximum waiting period after cancellation of three years,” she added.

A representative for Uber said the company had no immediate comment.

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