Colombia’s Petro gives up on political reform in setback

President Gustavo Petro of Colombia withdrew a political reform bill from Congress on Thursday, in what local analysts see as perhaps the biggest legislative defeat of his administration so far.

The move came shortly before the proposal was due to be submitted for a crucial Senate committee vote. President Petro, who unveiled the reform last September, said the bill ended up lacking “any progressive elements” after undergoing several changes in Congress.

“Without the provisions to guarantee an equal number of seats for men and women and without state financing of political campaigns, the reform is no longer a step forward in the quality of our politics,” Mr. Petro said.

Mr. Petro’s decision was demanded by his progressive allies in the Historic Pact coalition, who complained that the changes had watered down the bill to the point of stripping it of real meaning and catering to the country’s old ruling classes. “We want a reform for Colombia, not for politicians,” the coalition said in a statement.

Shortly after Mr. Petro’s announcement, Senate President Roy Barreras, another ally of Mr. Petro, tore up the reform bill’s printed copy, saying he agreed with the decision but that the government should file a new proposal in the second half of 2023. “We still have three years to cleanse Colombia’s democracy of [political] clientelism,” Mr. Barreras said.

The deadlock could also impact Mr. Petro’s other legislative goals, such as reforms to the pension, labor, and health systems, as well as a land reform project. Last May, just before Mr. Petro’s election, The Brazilian Report took a look at his bold project for Colombia — noting that it was perhaps “too ambitious” to succeed.

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