00:00And in Colombia, the government of Gustavo Petro promoted several reforms to the benefit of the population, many of which
00:07face constant resistance from Congress.
00:09Correspondent Tatiana Portela with the story.
00:13Today we will examine the government of change, specifically in the context of the elections.
00:18What has been achieved, what has been hindered, and what remains to be done.
00:27Colombia enters the countdown to a crucial presidential election.
00:32After four years of the country's first progressive government, voters face a picture of contrast.
00:37Although Gustavo Petro took office promising a national agreement with all sectors,
00:42the executive's agenda led to constant confrontation with Congress and deep political polarization.
00:46Despite resistance, reforms such as labor reform managed to move forward, driven by social mobilization.
00:55The issues of night shift freemiums, Sunday shift freemiums, the length of the workday, and the reduction in working hours
01:02make for a very attractive package from an economic standpoint.
01:05So to speak, for workers in general, although there are some specific details,
01:10that chapter was one of the most continuous within the National Congress, wasn't it?
01:15But it also marked a step toward formalization and restored dignity to workers.
01:21In the educational field, although it did not succeed in completely overhauling La30,
01:26the framework that regulates higher education as a private service,
01:30Petro's government managed to amend two key articles to inject direct funding into public universities.
01:40There have been some changes regarding the percentage allocated to the national budget.
01:45with a projection that this figure will reach 1% of the budget by 2014.
01:51And on the other hand, there is also a change in the cost index,
01:55which in this case includes the higher education cost index,
02:00which aims to speak to get a little closer to what public universities
02:05and higher education institutions actually need today.
02:12The ambitious pension system reform that benefits women by reducing the number of contribution weeks
02:17required for each child has now been temporarily suspended by the Constitutional Court
02:21due to losses alleging false informal procedures.
02:24A solidarity base income for nearly 3 million seniors.
02:29Previously they were giving only 80,000 pesos, but now they will receive 230,000 pesos.
02:36That is what the pension reform stipulates and it applies not only to the 1.6 million
02:41who previously received that 80,000 pesos payment,
02:44but to 3 million pensioners, seniors who receive no other government assistance.
02:52Faced with deadlocking Congress, the government expedited agrarian reform
02:56through administrative channels distributing thousands of hectares to farming families
02:59and prioritizing resources for the areas hard to sit by the conflict.
03:03Llamadas PDET.
03:07Through national plans for comprehensive rural reform,
03:11which are designed to guarantee economic and social rights
03:14and provide economic measures for rural residents as well as us,
03:18of course, through the land allocation process,
03:21including the 3 million hectares set aside for a land fund
03:24and the 7 million hectares designed for land titling.
03:30But the executive branch reformist's momentum ultimately hit a wall in Congress
03:36in the strategy sector social health care.
03:38A crucial reform that sought to eliminate private financial intermediation
03:41of public resources was shelved amid tense debate.
03:47And the latest report from the audit office mentions 14.2 trillion pesos
03:51that have disappeared without a trace in recent years.
03:54A health care system with overpriced medicines is unacceptable.
03:57for procedures that cost 3 million on the market
03:59are billed to the health care system for 700 million.
04:02In other words, there are various allegations of what could be
04:05the largest looting in the history of this country
04:07at the expense of the lives of Colombian people.
04:11The controversial budget, worth about 3.5 billion dollars, remains in limbo.
04:16At the same time, the political reform and undemocratizing election financing
04:20and ensuring gender parity was dismantled by the traditional parties.
04:28Petro is thus handing over a country where structural reforms have been initiated
04:32but whose viability remains uncertain.
04:35On May 31st, Colombia will decide at the polls the course of its history
04:38to deepen the progressive agenda or return to the far-right model.
04:41Tatiana Portela, Telesur, Bogotá.
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