London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

President Duque withdraws controversial tax reform bill that sparked protests in Colombia

President Duque withdraws controversial tax reform bill that sparked protests in Colombia

The tax reform bill presented to Congress on April 15, triggered social protests and disorders in the last 4 days in Colombia.
Colombian President Iván Duque announced this Sunday the withdrawal of the tax reform bill presented to Congress on April 15, which triggered the social protests and disorders of the last four days in the country.

"I ask the Congress of the Republic to withdraw the project filed by the Ministry of Finance and urgently process a new project as a result of consensus and thus avoid financial uncertainty," Duque said in a statement at the Casa de Nariño, headquarters of the government.

The decision of the head of state comes after the massive four-day protests against that initiative left at least five people dead, although different social organizations denounce that there are more.

Duque explained that he spoke with the different political parties, production unions and other sectors of the population and that the new tax reform project that will be presented to Congress will include the proposals that came out of those dialogues.

In that direction, he indicated that the project will incorporate a temporary income surcharge to companies, extend the wealth tax temporarily, increase the tax on dividends temporarily and create an income surcharge for people with higher incomes, among others.

"The reform is not a whim. The reform is a necessity. To withdraw it or not, was not the discussion. The real discussion is to be able to guarantee the continuity of social programs," he said.

Among these, he mentioned the extension of the Solidarity Income, which today benefits more than 3.4 million households and offers free university education to young university students from the lowest social strata.

Duque emphasized that it also seeks to extend the payroll subsidy through the Formal Employment Support Program (PAEF), which "has benefited about 3.5 million workers.

He also said that they should continue to seek that the Value Added Tax (VAT) can be returned to "the most vulnerable households."

The original proposal included broadening the tax base to include those who earn the least among those who pay taxes and taxing middle and upper class public services with VAT of 19%, among other measures that were the trigger for the protests. in all the country.

In Bogotá and mainly in Cali, the demonstrations ended in vandalism against public transport, banks and shops, and even against ambulances.

"The path of a consensus clears perceptions and allows us to say clearly that there will be no increase in VAT for goods and services nor will the existing rules be changed. It is also clear that no one who does not pay income tax will pay that tax," he stressed today.
Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
19%VAT tax? Maybe the country needs to start living within its means. But as goverments go bankrupt from handing out free money (USA) you can expect this in more countries

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×