Colombia: Cepeda candidate presents 808 million dollar social plan

The candidate of the Historical Pact, Iván Cepeda, officially presented yesterday in Bogotá his master plan for social welfare to eradicate poverty and reduce structural inequality. Backed by his vice-presidential formula, the indigenous leader Aida Quilcué, the candidate seeks to consolidate the 44.6% of voting intention granted to him by the last Invamer poll just days before the first presidential round of May 31.

The strategy brings together seven measures that combine the optimization of existing subsidies with new targeted aid for young people, farmers, social leaders and people with disabilities.

Among the proposals are the expansion of Colombia Mayor to include one million new beneficiaries, a system for the direct purchase of food from agriculture to eliminate intermediaries, and soft microcredit lines aimed at the financial autonomy of households.

The estimated total cost for the progressive execution of these actions amounts to 808 million dollars (about 3.4 trillion Colombian pesos). To ensure fiscal responsibility and avoid imbalances in the country, the campaign's economic team explained that the budget will come from three clear sources of funding: Ecopetrol's surpluses, the optimization of items from the Ministry of Education and the use of tax incentives for private companies.

In view of the closure of the mobilization in public spaces, the campaign is preparing its big mass event for this Sunday, May 24 in Barranquilla.

The choice of the capital of the Atlantic as the final epicenter responds to the need to shield the electoral flow of the Caribbean region against opposition contenders such as Paloma Valencia and Abelardo de la Espriella, sealing their narrative of victory before the polls open.