This August 7th Two years have passed since the arrival of the first left-wing president in the country’s history to the Casa de Nariño. To commemorate the halfway point of his mandate, Gustavo Petro addressed Colombians to highlight some of the achievements that have been made during his administration.
(Read more: The seven achievements highlighted by the Dian in the two years of the Petro era)
Among the advances highlighted by the president are the lifting of more than 1,600,000 Colombians out of poverty, increase the minimum wage by about 12%, reduce food inflation figures and advance the energy transition.
In this list of results, the head of state also included the improvement of connectivity in the country, with an increase in internet access of 76%; the recovery of the countertop 14; the reduction in deforestation in the national territory, and the achievement of the operation of three railway corridors (Bogotá-Belencito, Dorada-Chiriguaná, and Villavicencio-Puerto Gaitán).
President Petro also mentioned that in these years it was achieved approve a reform that will modify the current pension system and will allow more than three million older adults to access a dignified old age. In addition, he mentioned that, in terms of employment, 1,032,000 jobs have been created.
(Read more: The setbacks that the Petro government has generated, from the opposition’s perspective)
President Gustavo Petro at the anniversary celebration of the Battle of Boyacá
Cesar Melgarejo / THE TIME
(See: Two years of Gustavo Petro’s government, what is the balance?)
Challenges ahead
In this regard, he noted that although progress has been made, he is the first to recognize that “We still have a long way to go.” “We have not achieved everything we would have liked, but we have done more than many people think. Among other things, because the fiscal situation we found was not the most favorable,” he added.
According to the head of state, the situation in which the finances were received was not the best. In this regard, he stressed that “The money raised through the tax reform approved in the first year of government, which did not tax low-income individuals, was used to pay off a public debt acquired by former President Iván Duque and to cover the deficit of the fuel stabilization fund.”
The state of public finances is added to challenges around the cost of living and high inflation.
(Read more: Gustavo Petro: the life and work of the President of the Republic)
Habits to improve your relationship with money.
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National agreement
For the two years remaining in his term, President Petro said that he has made a call to political parties, businessmen and social organizations to “build a great national agreement.” This pact would revolve around health reform, public services reform, implementation of the peace agreement and the fight against corruption.
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