After the issuance of the decree by the National Government through which a state of internal commotion is announced in the Catatumbo region, in the North of Santander due to the difficult situation of public order that has already lasted for more than a week, the Congress of the Republic called a special session to analyze this regulation.
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Thus, the president of the Legislature, Efraín Cepeda, pointed out that the meeting will be held through plenary sessions in both the Senate of the Republic and the House of Representatives, which will take place next Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
“Within the framework of the issuance of the internal commotion by the National Government, it is my responsibility to summon the Congress of the Republic within three days following its issuance and in particular the time and day for the Senate of the Republic, for For this reason we have called the Congress of Colombia next Tuesday and the plenary session of the senate will be on Tuesday at 3:00 pm, that is called a special session.”said the Senator.
That day, the Legislature will be in charge of discussing the issuance of said decree and all the effects it has both for the situation in Catatumbo, as well as the other powers that are given to the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro.
“Where we are going to analyze the call, of decrees, the report of the National Government, we will exercise political control and the Congress or each chamber better has a period of 15 days for the substantive pronouncement, we are in that framework complying with the constitution and the law, the power of political control of the Congress of the Republic”Cepeda said.
Congress of the Republic
César Melgarejo / EL TIEMPO
What can be done with this declaration of internal commotion?
In accordance with the regulations issued by the Government, with the delivery of this decree the head of State may adopt extraordinary measures in contractual matters in order to expedite the execution of the resources required to guarantee institutional stability, the security of the State and the coexistence in the Catatumbo region and in the metropolitan area of Cúcuta.
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Therefore, when adopting this measure, economic resources are required, which were not contemplated in the accounts of the General Budget of the Nation (PGN) for 2025, which was decreed for $511 billion. Given this, the Minister of Finance, Diego Guevara, pointed out that the resources will come from the VAT tax on online games of luck and chance, a proposal sunk by Congress at the end of 2024 that was included in the tax reform.
In addition, transfers of resource allocations from some sectors of the Budget could be made to deliver money to the area affected by the armed conflict between the FARC and the ELN, in order to address this humanitarian emergency.
It is worth mentioning that this new wave of violence has already It has left nearly 100 dead and more than 11,000 displaced people.who have arrived in Cúcuta and cities near the area of armed conflict.
LEIDY RUIZ
Portfolio Journalist