MinHacienda Mauricio Cardenas announced that the government intends to introduce three amendments to royalty budget management. The budget for the next two years totals CoP$17.7 billion (US$9.7B). The changes are designed to tighten control on projects even further and to make royalty funding available to the central government for capital projects. The changes do not address community frustration over the changes to the system already introduced this year. We comment on the changes and the royalty system in general.
Villavicencio residents are upset about all things hydrocarbons it seems. They marched on city hall to complain about Ecopetrol and on the Llanogas distribution company offices to protest high prices. These are not isolated incidents in the same week. They would seem to be fomented by community leaders for broader political purposes, but which tap into a vein of discontent.
The MinMinas press report was rather muted and full of reminders that the figures were preliminary etc. There was no mention of the fact that this was in fact a milestone for Colombian oil production – the highest month on record. Likewise the 1Mbpd goal was nowhere to be seen in the text. It must be the difference in personality between Minister Renjifo and ex-Minister Cardenas.
Mintransporte Cecilia Alvarez-Correa announced road infrastructure investments planned by the government for next year. (As reported by national business paper La Republica) According to Alvarez-Correa, the government plans to allocate CoP$18 billion (US$9.9B) for infrastructure in 2014, CoP$11 billion more than in 2012.
National newspaper El Espectador reports that a delegation from the IACHR is in Colombia to analyze the situation of human rights in the country. This visit, which is by invitation of Colombia, can be seen as a test of the will of the Colombian State to cooperate with the Commission in monitoring human rights in the region. It is also a step forward for Colombia on its way to get off the blacklist of the Commission.
According to a survey by national radio station W Radio of 1000 adult men and women, Santos president’s favorability is at 48%, while 44% of respondents do not agree with how Santos is managing the country. 77% of respondents disapprove the way Santos handled the San Andres issue.
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