Colombian Congress Passes 2027 Budget, Reallocating Peace Deal Funds to Defense
Colombian lawmakers approve a 634.9 trillion peso budget for 2027, shifting funds from the JEP peace court to defense spending amid intense political debate.
POLICY WIRE — Bogota, Colombia — Colombian legislators finalized the distribution of a 634.9 trillion peso ($201.14 billion) budget for the upcoming year early Tuesday. The approval follows a contentious legislative session that saw significant shifts in national spending priorities.
The newly passed budget reduces financial support for the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) by approximately 181 billion pesos. This specialized court was established under the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to prosecute rebel leaders and former military personnel for war crimes.
The funds removed from the JEP are being redirected to the defense ministry, marking a strategic pivot in government spending. While the peace agreement implementation faces these cuts, the budget maintains substantial allocations for education and health care, with 93 trillion pesos—roughly US$29.5 billion—earmarked for those sectors.
The lower house secured the bill’s passage with a vote of 112 to one, following the Senate’s approval on Monday. This decision comes as the government faces pressure to reshape UN peace oversight, with the JEP mandate facing an expiration date of October 31.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
