The production unions described the marches called for today, Tuesday, by the National Government to support the pension, labor and health reforms, of which, they warned, the texts are not yet known.
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“There are several issues that should concern us: the impact of the blockades on inflation, the way in which we ask the citizens who support some reforms whose statements are not known and the freedom that the Legislature should have to debate, object or approve those proposals,” said Germán Arce, president of the National Trade Union Council (CGN).
He added that there are two days with strong impacts, so it is expected that there will be no consequences, acts of violence or use of roads in fact, «But what is exotic is that we are asking for support for reforms that are not known»insist.
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The marches called for February 14 and 15 add to the permanent blockades that have been registered in different regions of the national territory.
So far in 2023, about 121 have been presented in 20 departments of the country, which have generated a paralysis in mobility of about 2,121 hours, increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the country, suffering millions in losses to the economy and inflationary impacts that end up assuming citizenship.
Arce maintained that these actions, without a doubt, ended the mobility of both people and goods and services, alter the supply chain, generating millions in losses of perishables that do not reach their destinations, which has a huge impact on inflation.
«This is a year in which we are observing very significant inflationary pressures and all these restrictions have the risk of worsening the costs of inflation, which at the end of the day is the most regressive tax that can be applied to citizens,» said the CGN President.
Something in which the merchants of the country agree. Jaime Alberto Cabalohis voice, he said that although peaceful social protest is respected from Fenalco, as a constitutional right that assists all Colombians, it is not coherent to do it during the week for all workers and the economy in general, at a time when it begins to perceive a deceleration trend.
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“At times of so much uncertainty, of a very high inflation rate, dollar volatility, road blockades and a decline in sales, employment and the economy, we believe that it is not yet the time to hold these conferences or to protest or to I support the government,» Cabal insisted.
For this reason, the unions of the country called on the president gustavo petro«which has the constitutional obligation to symbolize national unity and guarantee citizen access to the content of said bills, so that citizens, under their own judgments and opinions, decide to support them or not.»
The Trade Council said that citizens and democratic institutions have the right to know in sufficient time the texts proposed by the Executive to be able to evaluate the social and economic impacts of these initiatives.
Likewise, it is the duty of citizens to respect and support the legitimately constituted democratic authorities, such as the Congress of the Republic, to maintain independence and institutional integrity.
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According to the Trade Union Council, the reforms that will affect millions of Colombians must be analyzed in the constitutionally defined spaces that allow healthy debate with arguments and figures.
“Transferring the debate to the streets, promoting horizontal interference between the branches of public power, puts the institutional framework at risk, especially the exercise of the constitutional functions of the Congress of the Republic. Additionally, it generates risks of confrontations and even violence and vandalism among citizens, ”he added.
That is why he National Trade Council invited the Government «to use institutional channels so that, within the framework of the Constitution and the Law, a democratic, informed and participatory debate is guaranteed in the Congress of the Republic, respecting the separation of powers and the pillars of the democratic system» .
