Colombia's Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino defended the government's labor and pension reforms at the XIX Asofondos Congress, representing President Gustavo Petro. He respectfully urged the Constitutional Court to advance its review of the suspended pension reform. He highlighted preliminary progress despite the suspension.
Antonio Sanguino, Colombia's Labor Minister, spoke at the XIX Asofondos Congress to highlight the labor and pension reforms as key social achievements. Representing President Gustavo Petro, he stressed that the labor reform shifted public debate from elite discussions to active citizen participation.
"The country stopped discussing these matters only among elites. Today there is a more active citizenry that influences key decisions," Sanguino stated, crediting this for the reform's congressional approval.
On the pension reform, currently suspended by the Constitutional Court, Sanguino called for prompt review to end uncertainty. "This is not just a regulatory change; it is a decisive step so that dignified old age stops being a privilege," he said. He noted over 3.2 million people lack pensions, with a goal of 87% coverage by 2052 for 13.7 million.
Despite the suspension, he reported over 217,000 double-advisory requests and around 170,000 transfers between regimes. He warned of payments to over 25,000 people without resource transfers, resolvable once implemented. He criticized the Central Bank's interest rates for hurting workers' purchasing power and reaffirmed dialogue with the private sector.
