Emergency as Policy

Director of Portafolio, February 25, 2026, 17:56, Updated: February 25, 2026, 17:56

Emergency as Policy

TL;DR

  • Winter storms in Córdoba and other regions demand a rapid and coordinated response.
  • Emergencies should not be used as an excuse to revive ideological debates or implement harmful economic measures.
  • The government's response includes some necessary tools but also controversial decrees, such as reviving a wealth tax and potentially using pension savings for state expenses.
  • These measures could harm investment, employment, and citizen savings, sending the wrong signal to capital.
  • Local authorities and communities in Córdoba feel abandoned and are responding to the crisis independently.
  • The article contrasts Colombia's approach with countries like Chile and Uruguay, which use pragmatic progressivism, stable rules, and fiscal responsibility.
  • The emergency should focus on urgent, tangible solutions like infrastructure and housing, executed transparently.
  • Sustainable fiscal solidity comes from growth, investment, and formal employment, not from improvised rule changes during a crisis.
  • Using crises as shortcuts incurs costs beyond deficits, impacting families, farmers, and isolated municipalities.