‘It’s time for a social agreement’: Petro in Congress installation

Within the framework of the installation of the new legislature in Congress, President Gustavo Petro presented a speech in which he addressed some of the issues that are part of the Government’s agenda.

The president pointed out in his speech that the objective is to turn Colombia into a “life power” and to achieve this, the proposed path is based on two main pillars: environmental justice and social justice.

In this order of ideas, he emphasized that these two aspects are the ones that have guided the speeches, laws, projects, public policies and social struggles that the Executive accompanies.

(Read more: ‘The energy transition debate cost me an excellent minister’).

Regarding environmental justice, he pointed out that it is necessary to build “a concept that allows people to know that they will be more prosperous in other terms” and for that the route to follow is the decarbonization of the economy.

He spoke of three fundamental points in this regard. The first has to do with changing the generation matrix from fossil fuels based on coal to clean energy (energy transition); the second is the electrification of mobility; and the third that production stops using fossil raw materials.

To make way for the social pillar, the head of state referred to the aforementioned in the campaign, in the government’s search for “a transition of the Colombian economy from extractivism to production, to give way to an agrarian, industrial and tourist Colombia”.

In that sense, defended the need for a comprehensive agrarian reform to transition to an economic model based on production because “The internal market is expanded, the labor force is freed from the land and therefore the fundamental conditions for industrialization would be established”.

(Read more: Minute by minute of the celebration of Independence Day).

Similarly, Petro highlighted the importance of expanding productive capacity, noting that, in the case of urban areas, this is achieved from the popular economy and the democratization of credit in Colombia, not only to provide the population working in this sector with tools, but also to put an end to mechanisms such as ‘drop by drop’.

Among other issues he addressed, President Petro highlighted how his government’s implementation of an economic policy that favors agriculture allowed “beat inflation”.

According to the president, the rise in inflation was a consequence of the covid, geopolitical conflicts and global circumstances that destroyed and froze a part of world capitalism, which had nothing to do with Colombia.

(See: Petro says that his government has “beat inflation”)

In this regard, he also highlighted the three consecutive months in which the indicator has registered drops and warned that “You don’t have to claim victory so early because we all know that things happen in the economy, often unpredictable.”

Petro added that within the expectations of the Executive, it is expected that by the end of 2023, Inflation in Colombia is in one digit, approximately 9%.

Inflation in Colombia

Jaiver Nieto Álvarez / EL TIEMPO

Regarding peace, the head of state pointed out that “Greater conditions of social equity can lead us to peace. There is a window of opportunity. I believe that it is time for a social reform. It is time for a social agreement”.

Along the same lines, he said that to achieve this it is necessary guide the country towards a more just and productive society.

“We can do it between the differences and the social, economic and political diversities”he pointed.

(See: Petro will seek to negotiate fishing conditions with Nicaragua)

To conclude, the president addressed the Congress and made a reflection inviting “give in to build a more equitable country”.

“The Congress of the Republic is the condensed expression, it can be, of the national agreement that is processed here through the law and the reform. The law and the reform that has to do with health, the world of work and pensions as has been discussed, but now it will also have to do with public services, with mining, with education and surely we will have many more topics”indicated.

The president declared the Legislature installed and stressed that the national agreement can be condensed through the reforms that Colombia needs.

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