Amid growing concern about the security crisis that marked the end of 2023, the Minister of the General Secretariat of Government, Camila Vallejo, has ruled out the possibility of using the constitutional 2% as a palliative measure. Parliamentarians and community leaders had urged the implementation of this resource to address recent criminal acts.
Minister Vallejo highlighted that Congress had already approved a significant increase of 5.7% in resources allocated to security. She emphasized that these funds have not yet been fully implemented and that requesting an additional 2% is premature. “We have not even been able to execute these resources and additional resources are being requested,” she stressed.
The official argued that the resources approved in Congress tend to be permanent, unless a Government decides to reduce them. In particular, she noted that the funds needed to increase police presence on the streets should be considered an ongoing need and require ongoing funding. In this context, Vallejo highlighted the importance of the “fiscal pact” as a crucial tool to guarantee sustainable financing in the field of security.
“Permanent financing is going to have to be needed and that is why we have been stupid to talk about the fiscal pact,” said the Minister, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive agreement that addresses the long-term financial challenges in terms of security.
