The former president of Colombia and leader of the opposition Democratic Center, Álvaro Uribe, warned President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday about his reforms and insisted that “the best reform is to let the economy continue to grow, control evasion and a state without corruption” after a meeting that both parties defined as marked by dialogue.
Uribe, who showed his gratitude for a “generous and constructive space” in a press conference after the meeting, indicated that it is the duty of the opposition Democratic Center to “convey the concerns” of many Colombians.
“We insist to the Government that it has a source of resources that should be estimated more in its exact dimension, which is the growth of the economy and evasion control,” added the former president, who asserted that if this trend continues, “the president Petro could fulfill its social promise without tax reform.”
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In this sense, he emphasized that “the best source of overcoming social problems is an economy that is constantly growing, and that is what worries us about these reforms,” referring not only to the government’s tax reform, but also “to the increase in fuels, labor, health, energy and pension reform”.
The meeting takes place a day after thousands of opponents took to the streets of the main Colombian cities to protest against the reforms and proposals of the Petro government.
Polarization
“Polarization has been said for a long time, that Uribismo polarizes, that Uribe polarizes,” but “contrary to this accusation, we have sought agreements, and we have to continue with that task. It is important to tell Colombians that we are looking for ways to that our task be constructive,” the opposition leader insisted.
In Uribe’s words, the Democratic Center is working to be a “constructive opposition,” “an opposition that knows how to dialogue, that knows how to oppose with arguments, that knows how to listen, and that is also willing to reach agreements.”
But this does not mean that they are going to “suppress” their ways of understanding the country and of defending their ideas, among which they consider that “a reform cannot sacrifice the growth of the economy, investment, employment, savings and consumption “, in the words of Congressman Óscar Darío Pérez.
Uribe was accompanied at the meeting by Representative Pérez and Senator Miguel Uribe, while the Minister of the Interior, Alfonso Prada, was present on behalf of the Government.
“We recognize that Colombia needs changes and we are willing to support those that benefit Colombians, but changing what does not work cannot be the pretext that justifies what does work, and so we manifest it to the president,” he added, for his part. , Uribe.
The Presidency did not share any statement or statement regarding the meeting between Petro and the opposition, the only thing that came out was a tweet from the president in which he stated that “we dialogue without problems. Dialogue is human. Dialogue builds civilizations.”
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