Petro says Colombia will vote on constituent assembly next year – Colombia News

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said that his government will be voting on a constituent assembly in next year’s elections.

In a post on social media platform X, Petro said that the congressional approval of a historic labor reform on Friday was due to the mobilization of the masses.

“The constituted power that makes laws obeyed the sovereign power that is the people,” said the president.

The constituent has already been called by the presidency, I believe that this call is necessary, the participation of the people to change Colombia is necessary. We have just demonstrated it with the effects that the massive demonstration of the people had about their will and on the will of the congress. Without people there is no social justice.

President Gustavo Petro

The Senate’s fierce opposition to a widely supported labor reform has shown “who is with” the people and “those who insults and condemn them, those who forbid them to speak. Now that popular knowledge must be expressed where the people are king, at the ballot box,” Petro added.

Colombia’s Congress approves historic labor reform, Petro withdraws referendum

For this reason, said the president, the government plans to convene a national constituent assembly that would be called during the same elections that will elect a new Congress and a successor to Petro.

I await the decision of millions so that the next government and congress will have the imperative mandate to build the social rule of law, social justice, deep democracy with the people, peace.

President Gustavo Petro

The announcement shocked Colombia’s traditional parties that have led to opposition to the Petro administration, the first leftist government in the history of the country.

Senate President Efrain Cepeda of the Conservative Party, who played a leading role in the opposition to the labor reform, said that Congress is unlikely to approve a new constituent assembly.