Debate on SGP reform in the Senate, suspended due to lack of quorum: this is how the day went

The recent reform of the General Participation System (SGP) has sparked intense controversies in Congress, aligning both critics and allies of President Gustavo Petro around an issue vital for the country’s fiscal future.

This legislative project, which proposes increasing transfers to departments by up to 46%, has gone through a less complicated legislative process than many expected, although it has been the subject of close scrutiny in recent weeks.

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The reform of the General Participation System (SGP)

César Melgarejo/ CEET

The initiative, Promoted by the Minister of the Interior, Juan Fernando Cristo, it has found support among various political factions, even in sectors that have traditionally been opponents of the government. This support was evident when the Senate approved the positive report, although the discussion of the articles was postponed due to lack of quorum.

The debate will resume, and it is anticipated that it has the necessary votes to advance.

The president Petro expressed his support for the reform through his social networks, a gesture that has resonated with some Uribe senators and with figures such as the former president of Congress, Iván Name, who, despite his previous confrontations with the president, has positioned himself as one of the authors of the proposal.

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The voices in favor emphasize the importance of decentralization and the need to strengthen regional autonomy.

“Let’s not think about who governs, let’s think about the constitutional obligation to develop decentralization in this country”argued liberal senator Alejandro Carlos Chacón, reflecting a consensus among various sectors of politics about the deficit in the execution of decentralized policies.

The reform of the General Participation System (SGP)

César Melgarejo/ CEET

On the other hand, critics of the reform, such as Senator Angélica Lozano, have expressed concerns about the proposed amount. Although an increase of 46.5% was initially proposed, a consensus was reached to reduce it to 39.5% after tensions in Petro’s cabinet.

Lozano warned that any lower figure could be a “chimbo check” for the regions, questioning the effectiveness of the increase in a context of urgent need.

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Paloma Valencia, from the Democratic Center, also raised her voice against the speed of the process, advocating for an orderly decentralization and warning about the potential increase in the national debt, suggesting that this could lead to the need for tax reforms in the future.

As the discussion progresses, the presence of governors in the debate underlines the importance of the reform for the regions.

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Figures like Andrés Julián Rendón from Antioquia and Carlos Amaya from Boyacá have urged senators to support the initiative as an opportunity to demand decentralization promised in the 1991 Constitution.

PORTFOLIO