Luz Stella Murgas apunta a liderar el Consejo Gremial Nacional: cuenta con el apoyo de varias organizaciones atacadas por el Gobierno Petro

The nomination of Luz Stella Murgas as a candidate for the presidency of the National Gremial Council in 2026, supported by ten business unions, occurs in a context deemed critical for the future of the country and the productive sector.

According to the letter sent by SAC, Andi, ACM, Acopi, the National Federation of Coffee Growers, Asobancaria, Cotelco, PorkColombia, Acoplástricos, and Fenavi, next year will be marked by the closing of a government cycle, legislative and presidential elections, and crucial debates on political transitions, necessitating a stronger and more strategic gremial leadership.

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“2026 will be a decisive year for our country and the business sector we represent. The end of a government cycle, legislative and presidential elections, and the discussions inherent to political transition create an environment where the voice of the National Gremial Council must be stronger, strategic, and more coordinated than ever. This moment calls for constructive leadership, clarity of purpose, and a rigorous and unified defense of the productive sector’s role in society,” the statement emphasizes.

The unions believe that throughout President Gustavo Petro’s administration, political debate has been characterized by a tense exchange between the national government and productive sectors. According to the letter, the current government has questioned sectors such as natural gas, oil, and mining while noting a decline in security in the territories and increased diplomatic tensions with the United States.

“In the past three years, we have seen how public debate has been characterized by tensions between the national government and various productive sectors, with activities such as natural gas, oil, and mining facing scrutiny from official sources, while the deterioration of security in territories and diplomatic tensions with our main trading partner have introduced uncertainty in strategic sectors,” the unions stated.

Despite these challenging circumstances, businesses remain committed to defending the legitimate interests of entrepreneurship, which encompass employment, investment, innovation, and the generation of opportunities for the Colombian population.

“Those who have led the National Gremial Council have had to navigate a complex environment, responsibly representing our principles before the state and public opinion. Their work has been key in emphasizing the importance of legal security, preserving business confidence, and defending the legitimacy of gremial work in democracy,” they highlighted.

The nomination of Katherine Gutiérrez as president and Andrés Mauricio Velasco Martínez as vice president of the National Gremial Council marks a new chapter for Colombian businesses, reaffirming their commitment to defending sector interests, including employment, investment, and innovation.

Support for this duo is based on the need for leadership capable of driving technical agendas and coordinating inter-gremial processes in a context that demands constant collaboration with the national government and Congress. The unions emphasize that the current situation requires a unified business sector with a long-term vision to strengthen dialogue and establish common positions in favor of welfare, formal employment, and sustainable economic growth.

Gutiérrez’s background includes roles as Deputy Minister of the Interior, Deputy Minister of Mines, president of the National Mining Agency, and president of Acolgen, giving her strategic leadership experience and regulatory knowledge, elements deemed vital in a time of economic and business transformation. The supporting document underscores that she leads a sector essential for the functioning of the entire economy and that her leadership would allow for a plural and representative approach among all sectors within the National Gremial Council.

In contrast, the letter highlights Velasco’s academic background and technical experience, having been a macroeconomics professor at various universities and holding roles such as technical director of the Autonomous Fiscal Rule Committee, deputy manager of Payment Systems at the Central Bank, and Technical Deputy Minister of Finance. The combination of their profiles is presented as a comprehensive proposal integrating political, technical, and gremial expertise.