The Uribe party Democratic Centerthe main opposition in Colombiaconsidered that the first half of the president’s government Gustavo Petrowhich is celebrated this Wednesday, has meant a “step backwards for Colombians.”
«These have been two years in which the Government has also systematically attacked institutions, freedoms, democracy and the opposition, creating issues such as a constituent assembly before the public, protected by an illegitimate (peace) agreement like the one in Havana, widely rejected by the ‘no’ vote in the plebiscite.»the party founded by former president Álvaro Uribe said in a statement.
Petro, the first leftist ruler in Colombia, is now halfway through his term with his popularity eroded, and the Democratic Center said that recent popularity polls “are undermining the government.”
Polls by the firms Econalitica and Guarumo indicated that 32.6% of those surveyed described President Petro’s management as “terrible” and 33.3% as “bad.”
The same survey reveals that the problems that most concern Colombians are access to health (21.9%), corruption (18%), security (16.3%), the cost of the basic basket (16.1%) and lack of employment (15%).
Unbridled violence
In terms of security, the Democratic Center says that Petro’s policy of “total peace” “has meant a humanitarian tragedy for thousands of Colombians suffocated by the pressure and excessive growth of different criminal organizations throughout the country.”
The Uribe party claims that the Clan del Golfo, with which the government has just opened a “space for socio-legal conversation,” is a criminal gang that “intimidates the inhabitants of 75% of the national territory, where 24 of the 32 departments already report the serious presence of this armed group, according to the Ombudsman’s Office.”
For the Democratic Centre, the government’s policy “seems to encourage violence” because in the last two years there have been more than 150 massacres and, according to the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), mass forced displacement has increased by 37%.
Violence is affecting social leaders and more than 330 have been killed during this government, and kidnapping is also on the rise, up 45% and extortion by 52%, adds the report from the Democratic Center.
He also stressed that 14 corruption scandals have occurred during this administration, such as the one involving members of the Government at the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
Finally, the Uribe party points out that the two years of the Petro government have meant a brake on the country’s economic growth because while in 2022 Colombia experienced a growth of 7.3%, in 2023 the GDP fell to 0.6%, the lowest in 25 years. EFE (I)
#Petros #presidency #brought #setback
