The World Universities Debating Championship in Spanish (Spanish: Campeonato Mundial Universitario de Debate en Español, CMUDE) is an international university debating competition held in Spanish, staged annually since 2011, It is contested in British Parliamentary format and its host venue rotates among countries of Hispanic America and Spain.
Conceived as the Spanish-language counterpart of the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC), CMUDE is the Spanish-language university debating tournament with the largest number of participants.
Recent editions have brought together several hundred debaters and adjudicators from more than twenty countries.
Main format
The competition is governed by the official WUDC rules, corresponding to the British Parliamentary format, known as the "World Debate Format" (Formato Mundial de Debate) within the Spanish-speaking circuit. Each debate pits four teams of two speakers against one another, divided between the Opening and Closing halves of the table, arguing for or against a motion announced fifteen minutes in advance.
Each speaker delivers a seven-minute speech, with an additional fifteen seconds of grace, beginning with the Government side and alternating between sides. The speaking order is:
Prime Minister (PM) — Opening Government Leader of the Opposition (LO) — Opening Opposition Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) — Opening Government Deputy Leader of the Opposition (DLO) — Opening Opposition Member of Government (MG) — Closing Government Member of the Opposition (MO) — Closing Opposition Government Whip (GW) — Closing Government Opposition Whip (OW) — Closing Opposition
In addition, between the first and the sixth minute, members of the opposing bench may offer points of information to the speaker holding the floor. These are not compulsory, but they are encouraged.
The circuit also maintains a Manual for Adjudicators and Debaters (Manual de Personas Juezas y Debatientes), updated periodically by the adjudication cores, which adapts the WUDC rules to the particularities of the Spanish-speaking sphere.
Following the preliminary rounds, the highest-scoring teams advance to the elimination rounds and on to the grand final, whose winners are awarded the title of world champions of debating in Spanish.
Parallel competitions
Alongside the main competition, other tournaments are held, established on a permanent basis from the Mexico 2014 edition onwards:
Masters Category, originally called the Nations Cup. A short exhibition tournament contested by experienced debaters and adjudicators. It uses the same format as the main competition, with a greater emphasis on argumentative creativity. Speeches Competition, an individual public-speaking event open to all participants, in which rhetorical construction and delivery are given particular weight.
Host venues Under the circuit's constitution, the host venue is chosen by the World Debate Council (Consejo Mundial de Debate, CMD), on which the countries taking part in previous editions are represented. Bidding candidates present their proposal to the CMD at the edition preceding the one bid for, and the plenary of the Council votes on the following host. The host venues since the first edition have been as follows: Edition Year Host institution City Country I 2011 Central University of Venezuela Caracas II 2012 Andrés Bello National University Santiago III 2013 Complutense University of Madrid Madrid IV 2014 Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (State of Mexico Campus) State of Mexico V 2015 Universidad del Rosario Bogotá VI 2016 University of Córdoba Córdoba VII 2017 Francisco Marroquín University Guatemala City VIII 2018 Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso Valparaíso IX 2019 ESAN University Lima X* 2020 Complutense University of Madrid Online XI* 2021 Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral Online XII 2022 King Juan Carlos University Madrid XIII 2023 Technological University of Panama Panama City XIV 2024 Pontifical Bolivarian University Medellín XV 2025 Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE) Santo Domingo XVI 2026 Andean University Simón Bolívar Quito XVII 2027 Autonomous University of Barcelona Barcelona
* Editions held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Past editions and results
Top teams of each edition (elimination rounds) Year Host Champions Runners-up Semi-finalists Quarter-finalists Octo-finalists2026 Andean University Simón Bolívar (Quito) Universidad del Pacífico (VE) Julio César Valverde and Doménica Espinoza
[Opening Opposition] University of Barcelona / Autonomous University of Madrid (GT)
Andreu Garcia and Pedro Tomás
Charles III University of Madrid (PR)
Giza Pavone and Jaime Rodríguez
Tec CEM (MS)
Mauricio San Román and Javier Márquez University of Los Andes (CG)
Andrés Collantes and Ana González
Tec CEM (VV)
Aranza Valadez and Manolo Vázquez
/
Technological University of Panama / Andrés Bello Catholic University (CA)
Ana Nari Carrillo and Ellis Alberti
Francisco de Vitoria University (MF)
Álvaro Mora and Álvaro Flores2025Universidad del Caribe (Santo Domingo)Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (FM)
Mauricio Jarufe and Fernanda Crousillat
[Closing Government]Autonomous University of Barcelona (GG)
Andreu Garcia and Luis Felipe Garcia
Polytechnic University of Valencia (GG)
Pau Garcia and Manuel Gámez
Universidad del Rosario (TL)
Juan Esteban Triviño and Daniela LeytonEUNEIZ (GV)
Isabella Vásquez and Amadeo Gavilano
Tec CEM (VV)
Aranza Valadez and Esteban Valle
Tec CEM (VL)
Manolo Vazquez and Mauricio San Román
National Autonomous University of Mexico (YP)
Mariana Yáñez and Brandom PascualPontifical Catholic University of Peru (PC)
Fernanda Paz Chávez and Elizabeth Contreras Peña
/
KU Leuven / Pantheon-Sorbonne University (LB)
Pablo Lamiquiz Agius and Matias Blanco
Tec CEM (GM)
Santiago Gutiérrez Caycedo and Sebastian Montes Rodríguez
Cayetano Heredia University / Instituto Tecnológico Superior (BZ)
Jorge Jean Pierre Bullon Sirumball and Felipe Arturo Zenteno Pacheco
National University of Colombia at Medellín (ZC)
Manu Zapata and David Cardona Duque
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PC)
Roberto Urquieta Yamaguchi and Nicolás Cornejo Ángeles
/
Bocconi University / IE University (PR)
Diego Rubio and Giza Pavone
University of Málaga / Complutense University of Madrid (BZ)
Diego García González and José Luis Muñoz-Reja Rodríguez National University of San Agustín of Arequipa / National University of San Marcos (CC)
Allan Chalco and Eduardo Cabrera
University of Murcia (FP)
Nacho Fenollar Portillo and Carmen Puente Nieto
Andrés Bello Catholic University (CO)
Valeria Caro and Erikendy Osuna
University of Barcelona (CS)
Flavio Cisneros and Blanca Sánchez-Crespo
Colegio Mayor Mendel (TR)
Ángel Trujillo and Jaime Rodríguez
University of Lima
María Fernanda García and Joaquín Deza
Francisco de Vitoria University
Álvaro Mora and Álvaro Flores
Tec CEM (EM)
Mariana Elechiguerra and Javier Márquez
Universidad Iberoamericana
José González and Juliana Martínez
National University of Colombia (MD)
Cristhian Mora and Alejandra de Felipe
Universidad del Pacífico
Andrea Ramos and Gonzalo Benavides
Cayetano Heredia University (PC)
Iams Cuya and Joaquín Prado
Technological University of Panama / University of Panama
Luis Marval and Angel Arcilla
Nebrija University
Remigio Loma and Jessica Prado
Polytechnic University of Valencia (MC)
Fabian Miulescu and Inés Fernández
Comillas Pontifical University (FC)
Gabriel Casati and Samuel Fernández2024Pontifical Bolivarian University /
IDS / Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (GS)
Marcela Gómez and Mattias Durán
[Closing Opposition]Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (EN)
Diego Nuñez and Sebastian Ezeta
Universidad del Rosario (ZR)
Jessica Zapata and Andres Revelo
/
Universidad San Francisco de Quito / EID (SG)
Angelo Saavedra and Carlo GironPontifical Catholic University of Peru (CG)
Fernanda Crousillat and Jorge Godos
University of Almería / CEU San Pablo University (GC)
Jesús Gómez "Capi" and Grego Colao
University of Los Andes (OM)
Santiago Ortiz and Isabella Mojica
Colegio Mayor Elías Ahúja (MH)
Carlos Montero and Mario de la HozFrancisco de Vitoria University (MF)
Álvaro Mora and Álvaro Flores
University of Chile (AV)
Florencia Atria and Noam Vilches
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (CP)
Janine Castagnola and Sergio Pérez
Complutense University of Madrid (PR)
Pablo Ponce and Fernanda Roig
Andrés Bello Catholic University (AN)
Luis Fernando Narváez and Ellis Alberti
Polytechnic University of Valencia (GG)
Manuel Gámez and Pau García
Universidad del Rosario (CS)
Laura Cabrera and Laura Sua
BSE / Leuven (FL)
Luis Felipe García and Pablo Lamiquiz /
César Vallejo University / IFP (MM)
Angel Moreno Huaccha and Pablo Martinez
Tec CEM (EM)
Mariana Elechiguerra and Javier Márquez
Pompeu Fabra University / Polytechnic University of Catalonia (BG)
Ángela Buquet and Bruno Gómez
Central University of Venezuela (PA)
Nelson Pernia and Ana Victoria Ascanio
Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (RL)
Francisco Javier Ricardo Morrobel and Belén Lobo
Autonomous University of Barcelona (GL)
Andreu Garcia and Horacio Lamela
National University of Colombia at Medellín (ZC)
Manu Zapata and David Cardona Duque
UdeG (DV)
Josué Torres and Luisa Velázquez
Central University of Venezuela (PR)
John Parada and Camila Rivas
National University of Colombia (MM)
Cristhian Mora and Gabriel Muriel
ITAM / El Colegio de México (CK)
Zaid Cano and Daniel Kelly
Andrés Bello Catholic University (CV)
David Varillas and Camila Carballo
Universidad del Rosario (TL)
Juan Esteban Triviño and Daniela Leyton
Technological University of Panama (CD)
Ana Nari Carrillo and Emmanuel Domínguez
Tec CEM (MV)
Lino Mialma and Manolo Vázquez
Cayetano Heredia University (VM)
Nataly Vásquez and Felipe Huerta2023Technological University of PanamaInternational University of Catalonia (VG)
Amadeo Gavilano and Isabella Vásquez
[Closing Government] Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (JP)
Mauricio Jarufe Caballero and Arianna Pantoja Romero
Complutense University of Madrid / Sociedad de Debates Complutense (TV)
Pedro Tomás and Raúl Viñas
Universidad del Rosario (RT)
Andrés Revelo and Juan Esteban Triviño Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (LQ)
Joaquín Linares and Andrea Quispe
Tec CEM (CM)
Natalia García and Benjamín Vigueras
National University of Colombia at Medellín (CZ)
David Cardona Duque and Manu Zapata Jiménez
University of Los Andes (OG)
Santiago Ortiz and Carlo Girón Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (CO)
Valeria Corona and Tlali Olivarez
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (JM)
Arturo Javier Ñamu and Angelo Saavedra
Autonomous University of Madrid (GO)
Juanjo García and Cristina Oñate
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (NV)
Luis Eduardo Valverde Ramos and Diego Núñez del Prado Velarde
Colegio Mayor Elías Ahúja
Mario de la Hoz and Carlos Montero
Central University of Venezuela (AP)
Nelson Pernia and Ana Ascanio
Tec CEM (GV)
Lino González and Manolo Vázquez
University of Barcelona (RG)
Luis Felipe García and Mark Ripol Andrés Bello Catholic University (MN)
Diego Maciel and Luis Fernando Narváez
University of Murcia (PN)
Carmen Puente and Ignacio Fenollar
Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua (RP)
Diego Rubio and Oscar Prado
National University of San Marcos (MV)
Christian Mundaca and Rose Vento
Andrés Bello Catholic University (AT)
Ellis Alberti and Beatriz Tirado
Francisco de Vitoria University (ML)
Álvaro Mora and Horacio Lamela
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (LB)
Tony Barturen and Fabriccio Luna
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (VT)
Alvaro Torres and Martín Villanueva
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences (PT)
Lexie Tello and Sergio Pérez