Andi acusó a Petro de ser el único y verdadero responsable de la emergencia económica que experimenta el país: “Decisiones tomadas por usted”

In a setting characterized by institutional tensions and ongoing economic uncertainty, President Gustavo Petro warned that the country stands on the brink of a crucial decision from the Constitutional Court. If it approves Decree 1390, which declared an economic emergency on December 22, 2025, the government believes it can sustain its recovery plan; if not, Colombia could plunge into a deep crisis. This decision coincides with the imminent presidential announcement regarding the minimum wage increase for 2026, a scenario that heightens the significance of the day.

In his assessment shared on social media, the President highlighted the pivotal role of the high court. He noted that the Constitutional Court holds the power to choose between “the country continuing its recovery path or entering an economic crisis,” a dilemma he interprets as stemming from a series of adverse legislative and political actions.

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“Recent days have seen the rejection of tax reform 3.0 in Congress, the refusal of the Senate’s economic commissions to pass the so-called financing law — defeated twice — and the increase in the real interest rate decided by the majority of the board of the Bank of the Republic. This chain of decisions”, Petro stated, was the fundamental reason for issuing the emergency decree.

The president argued that the rising debt cost and its growing unsustainability threaten financial stability. Although, according to him, the government has managed to reduce the debt and align it with the medium-term fiscal framework, Petro cautioned that persisting on this path would lead to an “emerging economic crisis.” The most recent debt issuance of $23 trillion to a single bidder also raised questions and reinforces, from his perspective, the severity of the situation.

In response to the President’s extensive message, Bruce Mac Master, head of the National Association of Entrepreneurs of Colombia (Andi), asserted that Gustavo Petro is the primary and sole responsible party for the economic crisis the national government is facing.

“No President, none of those are a ‘supervening fact’. Recently you stated that neither the media nor I acknowledged that Colombia is one of the best economies in the world, and today you tell us we are in an economic emergency. What made you change your narrative in less than a week?” Mac Master expressed.

Indeed, the business leader pointed out that the decisions made by Petro throughout his administration have led to uncertainty, lack of investment, a health crisis, and the management of public debt. He noted that industry groups have been warning for years about the repercussions of his policies and positions. However, they were not heard.

“These are all the situations you should have managed as president of the Republic, and your government has had to face from public administration. Moreover, some of these situations were actually created by decisions made by you, such as the healthcare system crisis, debt management, or the immense interests caused by the uncertainty you’ve generated in the markets. And to top it off, none of these were surprising or recent. They are all issues that have been developing over months and years,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the National Business Council expressed its concern over the announcement, highlighting that warnings that were dismissed led us to this point.