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First modification: 02/20/2026 - 03:40
The Colombian president, the leftist Gustavo Petro, ratified the 23% increase in the minimum wage, renamed by him as the “living wage,” to 2 million pesos, adding transportation assistance ($545) despite the fact that a few weeks ago, the Council of State suspended the decree that increased it by that amount, temporarily. The decision stirred up the political debate and mobilized thousands in the central Plaza de Bolívar, in Bogotá.
The Government of Colombia reaffirmed this Thursday, February 19, that the minimum wage will remain at two million pesos, adding transportation aid, the figure decreed on December 30, 2025 and equivalent to an increase of 23%.
President Gustavo Petro defended the measure with constitutional arguments and assured that the new decree had already been sent to the Council of State, which had suspended the initial regulation and granted eight days to issue another one.
"I didn't want to go overboard. We didn't back down," said the president before tens of thousands of people gathered in the Plaza de Bolívar, in Bogotá.
The mobilization, called to support the increase, turned the square into a festive event where “Not one peso back” was chanted, a slogan that defended the historic increase.
The fight with the high court added institutional tension. The Council of State argued that the Executive exceeded its powers by not applying usual technical criteria, such as inflation and productivity targets.
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In the square, several attendees attributed the decision to political motivations. “We know that the Council is politicized,” said a protester from the Kennedy neighborhood of the Colombian capital. Others denounced an alleged “institutional blockage” to the Government's social reforms.
The day also had electoral echoes. Although Petro clarified that it was not a proselytizing act, symbols of Senate campaigns were seen among the crowd and slogans in favor of ruling party figures were heard.
The increase benefits some 2.4 million formal workers and surprised both employers and unions: at the negotiation table in December 2025, the unions had proposed 7% and the labor confederations 16%.
In the markets, the reaction was suspended, because when Petro spoke, the stock markets had already closed and the COLCAP index rose 0.8%. Business sectors and opponents describe the increase as disproportionate and link it to the electoral calendar of March 8 (date of legislative elections) and the first presidential round of May 31.
Meanwhile, the Executive maintains that the increase is supported by technical studies and that it did not move “not even one digit” compared to what was announced in December.
With information from EFE and local media.
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