Colombian president defies court ruling, rallies thousands to defend minimum wage hike

Thousands of Colombians flooded streets across Bogota, Cali, Medellin, and Barranquilla Thursday in demonstrations called by President Gustavo Petro following the Council of State's provisional suspension of his government's 23.7% minimum wage increase. The capital experienced significant disruptions as protesters blocked major arteries, suspending public transportation systems and creating widespread traffic chaos before converging on Plaza de Bolivar with trade unions, workers' associations, and Indigenous and Afro-Colombian representatives.

Petro's Defiant Stance

Addressing demonstrators from the historic plaza, Petro declared his administration would maintain the minimum wage at two million pesos (approximately $544), the exact figure established in the December decree. "We are not backing down," Petro announced to cheering crowds. "We have signed the decree and officially submitted it back to the Council of State for reconsideration." He emphasized that the wage hike is now supported by new technical studies justifying the amount, stating he has not altered a "single digit" of the original increase.

Legal and Economic Implications

The Council of State's "precautionary measure" responded to lawsuits questioning whether the government ignored technical requirements mandated by Law 278 of 1996, which requires wage increases to be balanced against current inflation, national productivity, and concerns that excessive hikes could drive businesses into the informal sector. The standoff between Colombia's executive branch and judiciary leaves the country's economic future in a state of high tension as the precautionary suspension remains in effect, testing constitutional boundaries and economic policy direction.