The Liberal Party and President Juan Manuel Santos’ Partido de la U fail to reach a consensus over the draft bill of the Victims Law.
The draft was tabled for discussion before the first commission of the Senate with Liberal Senator Juan Fernando Cristo stating that it greatly improves on what had previously been approved by Congress.
Though the Liberals plan on filing the paper for consideration later on Monday, the Partido de la U have said they will refuse to sign the draft as it stands.
Speaking to El Espectador, Senator Roy Barreras of the Partido de la U said, Cristo “can file the paper without the signature of the Partido de la U because it is within his rights, just as it is within my rights to make known to my party the nine modifications that are being suggested within the law.”
He added, “At stake are the rights of the victims and the legal security of the land. This is what matters, not discussion games.”
This gulf between parties leaves uncertain the exact future and timeline of the project, which is designed to compensate victims of the country’s conflict.
In November last year, the Polo Democratico party stated that they would oppose the law in its current form because it is not acceptable without a Truth Commission.
Then, in January, Cristo condemned the law for being “exclusionary and arbitrary,” thus leading to his party’s most recent proposal for modification.
