Colombia prepares modifications to proposed Competencies Law

The Colombian government is preparing modifications to the proposed Competencies Law, an initiative originally introduced by the administration of Gustavo Petro. The project aims to address decentralization and the scope of the General Participation System (SGP).

Senator Hernán Cadavid of the Centro Democrático party has criticized the initiative, describing it as a ‘miniconstituyente’ due to its profound impact on territorial organization and the regime of competencies. Cadavid argued that the project requires a total reengineering rather than simple corrections, suggesting that a new project should be drafted to incorporate the concerns of the Federation of Municipalities and the Federation of Departments.

Concerns have been raised regarding the potential for uncontrolled scope for certain territorial entities and the financial burden placed on regions, as the proposed changes might assign competencies that cannot be adequately funded by the modified SGP.