Colombian President Petro Calls for Mobilization to Uphold Minimum Wage Decree as Constitutional Mandate

Original article: Petro convoca movilización para defender el decreto del salario mínimo vital como mandato constitucional

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has initiated a call for citizen mobilization in defense of the decree establishing the vital minimum wage and the Economic and Social State of Emergency across the nation for a duration of 30 days.

In a message posted on his X account, he warned that certain political and economic power sectors would resort to judicial avenues in an attempt to overturn measures implemented by his government aimed at improving the living standards of workers and Colombian families.

“Workers and workforce bees! Get ready to hit the streets in force, to not give a vote to political mafias, nor a sold vote to the captains of the assassins of the people and thieves of the State,” wrote the president.

According to the head of state, the return of various political actors after the year-end recess would herald efforts to challenge the decrees issued by the Executive.

“Today those in power return from vacation, and they are coming back with everything to knock down the decrees of life and economic stability,” he stated, while pointing out that the decrees related to the vital minimum wage and the State of Emergency would face lawsuits.

“Tomorrow begins the oligarchy and the oligopolies, who are the owners of the oligarchy, to seek their friends in the judiciary to overturn the vital wage decree and the decree that makes them pay taxes,” he warned.

Defending the Vital Minimum Wage

It is important to recall that on December 29, Petro decreed the new minimum wage for 2026, which includes an increase of 22.7%, the highest since the 1991 Constitution.

On that occasion, the president indicated that the increase sets the figure at $2,000,000 with a transportation subsidy.

This measure directly impacts between 2 and 3 million people, who will see their incomes increase starting January 1. The decree incorporates the concept of vital minimum wage for the first time, backed by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The progressive leader explained that with the increase, the vital wage is set at 1,750,905 pesos (Colombian). To this amount, a transportation subsidy of 249,095 pesos is added. In total, workers earning the minimum will receive 2 million pesos monthly, a figure that represents a 22.7% growth compared to this year, which has not yet ended.

In his message shared on X, he emphasized that this measure is based on official figures from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), and noted that the calculation considers the cost of the basic family basket and the average number of workers per household.

“The vital wage is derived from DANE’s data regarding the cost of the minimum vital basket for families in Colombia. I divided that by the average number of workers per family, also data from DANE, and it results in two million pesos monthly,” he asserted.

“The vital and family wage is mandated by the Constitution in Article 53,” he reiterated.

However, he questioned why, despite the stipulations in the 1991 Political Charter, this mandate has not materialized for over three decades.

“If it is an order from the Constitution, why has it not been fulfilled in 35 years?” he emphasized.

According to Petro, the upcoming Congress, to be elected in March, must examine a bill to permanently establish the vital minimum wage in Colombia.

“With the jaguar and the sword of Bolívar, it should be proposed as a bill, so that all decrees from future presidents establish a vital and family minimum wage,” he urged.

Additionally, he denounced that “vote-buying and the influence of large capitals in Congress have prevented for decades the fulfillment of the constitutional mandate regarding the vital wage,” he stated.

The Colombian president also addressed the tax system and proposed that the Constitution mandates a progressive scheme.

“The Constitution orders a progressive tax system, meaning that wealthier individuals must pay more taxes than others, to guarantee the fundamental rights of the people and individuals in public spending,” he asserted.

Petro Orders Action Against Vote Buyers

In his message shared on X, Petro extended a call to the public not to sell their votes. “Attention, no one from the working class should vote for someone who pays for a vote. Once elected, they will only make laws against the people,” he remarked.

He also announced directives directed to the National Police regarding vote-buying. “Order to the police: arrest vote-buyers nationwide for being criminals,” wrote the president.

“According to that Constitution, I am your supreme commander and I give an immediate execution order to all regional and municipal police commanders: electoral guarantees and freedom of vote mean that they do not buy the votes of working people,” he highlighted.

The president also rejected arguments suggesting that the vital minimum wage would trigger inflation.

“They claim the decrees are unconstitutional and will generate inflation, but economic science disproves this,” he affirmed, stressing that DANE’s data shows a reduction in costs to producers throughout 2025.

To conclude, he insisted on defending the vital minimum wage, the progressive tax system, and the measures adopted by his government under the Economic and Social State of Emergency.

“Democracy is the power of the people, of the working class or those who want to work, of students or those who want to study,” he concluded.