👷 Noboa scopes, Petro settles

COLOMBIA

Petro gets his labor reform, but not his referendum

Despite support from only around 35% of the population, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia retains significant power to shape the national agenda — though likely not enough to handpick a successor in the 2026 election.

With this in mind, the left-wing leader has rallied behind a cause more popular than himself, which could improve his standing among the electorate: a labor reform that increases workers' rights, a sensitive issue in a country that has long been conflicted by economic inequality.

The labor bill was one of many items on Petro’s ambitious campaign wishlist back in 2022, many of which failed to pass through Congress after the government lost support from centrist allies during its first year in office.

Despite multiple setbacks, the government doubled down by requesting a referendum in which the population would be directly consulted on labor regulations. Even after the Senate voted against his referendum call, Petro tried to bypass them via executive decree, sparking protests about potential overreach…

🔒 This was a free preview; the rest is behind our paywall

Don’t miss out! Upgrade to unlock full access. The process takes only seconds with Apple Pay or Stripe. Become a member.

Why you should subscribe

We’re here for readers who want to truly understand Brazil and Latin America — a region too often ignored or misrepresented by the international media.

Since 2017, our reporting has been powered by paid subscribers. They’re the reason we can keep a full-time team of 10 journalists across Brazil and Argentina, delivering sharp, independent coverage every day.

If you value our work, subscribing is the best way to keep it going — and growing.

Our annual plan goes for just USD 0.52 a day — but the value you'll get back from it is truly immeasurable. So… what’s stopping you from joining right now?