Court Suspends Colombia's Minimum Wage Increase Decree

Colombia's Council of State temporarily halted a decree by President Gustavo Petro's government to raise the 2026 minimum wage by 22.7%. The court demands a new decree and clear calculation of the increase within eight days, pending a final ruling on the decree's legality.

In a significant move, Colombia's Council of State has provisionally suspended a government decree that aimed to raise the country's 2026 minimum wage by 22.7%. The Council, responsible for settling disputes involving state entities, has tasked President Gustavo Petro's administration to issue a refreshed temporary decree within the next eight days.

This new directive must clearly outline the calculations behind the wage increase, a detail the court insists on pending the further evaluation of the decree's legality.

While this suspension doesn't conclude whether the original wage hike is lawful, it highlights the ongoing scrutiny and the court's intention to provide a more comprehensive ruling in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)