Claudia López reacts to Álvaro Uribe’s announcement that congressmen from the CD would not accept a salary increase

The controversy generated by the presidential decree ordering a 5.12% increase in the salary of congressmen aroused several reactions from the country’s political leaders.

In the first place, that of former president Álvaro Uribe, natural head of the Democratic Center, who announced that the members of that community will not receive the increase and that they are analyzing whether they will reject it or use it for a social cause.

Pasture: Duque signs at Christmas the decree that increases the salary of congressmen: they go from earning $ 32.7 million to $ 34.4 million a month

The ruling party’s decision prompted the mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, to trill against Uribe’s announcement.

“You liars! They come out with these ‘announcements’ after they have led the collapse of all proposals to freeze or reduce the salary of congressmen “said the president.

One of the members of the Democratic Center who did not take long to respond to the mayor was the representative to the House, Edward Rodríguez, who said: “Lie, lie and lie. But the citizens no longer eat a story Mayor Claudia López, remember that with Angélica Lozano they invoice more than 60 million pesos a month at their home. We will continue to insist on reducing Congress ”.

This December 24, while Colombians were celebrating Christmas, Decree 1779 of 2020 was issued from the Presidency, in which an increase in the salary of congressmen in Colombia of 5.12% is made.

Pasture: Claudia López makes a diagnosis about the new measures in Bogotá with a view to the last days of 2020

This means that from next year the monthly allocation of the members of the Congress of the Republic will go from $ 32.7 million to $ 34.4 million, an increase of about $ 1,700,000.

Given the news, former President Uribe reported on his Twitter account that the congressmen of the Democratic Center will not receive this increase.

“Congressmen from the Democratic Center will not receive the salary increase, they analyze whether they reject it or assign it to a social task”said the former senator and head of that political party.

Likewise, Uribe insisted that the constitutional reform he proposes guarantees that the salary of congressmen goes down as well as the number of parliamentarians that the country has.

“The party will insist on reducing the number of congressmen and the salary, we believe that it is important to consider again the option of the referendum that should include other points such as the reform of the JEP”, explained the ex-president.

These are the thirteen points of the referendum proposed by Álvaro Uribe

1.- Popular Referendum

A Constitutional Referendum of popular initiative would be called.

2.- Judicial Branch, one or two High Courts; and prompt justice

One or two high judicial bodies would be established, which would not have electoral functions with respect to the other branches of public power.

The magistrates would be over 55 years of age, for personal terms of 12 years (or up to an age of forced retirement or life), elected by co-option with the approval of the Senate.

Expedited solutions to judicial delays will be studied.

3.- Special Legislative Commission

A Special Legislative Commission made up of 30 members, elected by the Senate, would be created. The members of said commission should be Colombian citizens, with the same regime of disabilities and incompatibilities as congressmen, who:

a) implement the referendum

b) propose the measures to Congress; If these are not adopted within the following six months, the President may issue them through decrees with the force of law.

4.- Court of Gauges

A Court of Aforados would be created to create independence in the judging of congressmen and magistrates.

5.- JEP. Repeal or substantive reform

It is expected that this reform will provide more judicial guarantees to the members of the Armed Forces.

So then the alternatives are:

a) The Special Peace Jurisdiction would be repealed and its functions would be transferred to the ordinary jurisdiction, but the judicial benefits are maintained.

b) The terms of the current magistrates would be reduced.

Judicial guarantees for members of the Armed Forces:

The main reform of this proposal is to create a special chamber for members of the public force, with impartial magistrates who know their protocols, command structure and operational rules.

Probation for members of the public force:

Members of the security forces who have committed crimes before December 1, 2016, when they have completed 5 years of effective sentence, may request conditional release. Crimes of violent carnal access, sexual abuse, kidnapping, terrorism or crimes against the State are excepted.

6.- Protection of social leaders

The homicide in people considered social leaders, according to the law, will have the sanction of aggravated homicide, without criminal surrogates or less severe alternative penalties.

7.- Exclusion from Congress of those responsible for crimes against humanity:

Persons responsible for crimes against humanity may not be members of Congress, or of any popularly elected corporation, nor may they be elected to single-person positions.

8.- Confiscation of illegal substances without criminalizing consumption

The Government may order the confiscation of illegal substances, even if their possession and consumption are not criminally sanctioned.

The consumption of illegal substances will not be penalized. Public health policies such as prevention, rehabilitation and confiscation will be the only ones applicable to consumers.

9.- Austerity in state operation for greater social investment

State expenditures on payroll, direct or indirect, and operation, at the different levels of the State, will be frozen in real terms for six years.

10.- Decrease in the number of congressmen and gradual reduction of salary

Congress will be reduced by 30 percent. The remuneration of congressmen will be frozen for the next six years.

11.- Progress towards equity, solidarity income and pension bonus

The State will support the most vulnerable people with an economic resource. It will be targeted in such a way that no one is below the monetary poverty line. The law will define the measurement of poverty and the gradualness to eradicate it.

The State will deliver a pension bonus to newborns from vulnerable homes. Only one per family.

The amount will be defined according to the fiscal possibilities and may be redeemed for the owner’s undertakings.

12.- Free education according to income level with the possibility of choosing a public, private or mixed institution, without monopoly or indoctrination

The State will guarantee free education with a socio-economic focus. You can do it through official, private, mixed or solidarity institutions.

13.- Paid protection of Strategic Ecosystems such as the Amazon

The State will pay for the care of Strategic Ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Orinoquia and the Pacific Coast, the primary forest, the secondary forest, the moors, the rivers, the mirrors and sources of water, the national parks in the territory or in the sea, mangroves and those that are defined by the Government, according to technical criteria.