'President Petro must respond to Icetex students' campaign promise': Acrees

“It was the Constitutional Court, in its wisdom, even if it does not understand the reasons, that by majority decided to declare unconstitutional the zero interest rate for loans with interest, which the government managed to approve in Congress.”

This was the message that President Gustavo Petro wrote on his X account to defend himself from criticism regarding the announcement by Icetex, which indicated that its beneficiaries will no longer receive the interest rate subsidy. The president blamed the Constitutional Court for the measure.

President Petro refers to the ruling of the high court that declared unconstitutional the article of the tax reform that established a relief for educational loans granted by the entity, but that required the universities where they studied to assume the additional points to the CPI in the educational credit. However, hours before, Icetex had explained that the measure responded to the drop in inflation.

This report does not take into account the most important fact, it was the constitutional court, in its wisdom although it does not understand the reasons, which by majority decided to declare unconstitutional the zero interest rate for loans in the interest, which the government managed to approve in the… https://t.co/qophVy8mfP pic.twitter.com/mtFw7Kp6Io

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) February 21, 2025

“I ask why the Colombian right is now shouting about the lack of interest rate subsidies for Icetex loans when it was they who promoted its downfall in the Court, and also defunded the state so that my government would not fulfill its program?” the head of state said in another tweet.

During the program 6 AM, on Caracol Radio, María José Castañeda, president of the National Association of Student Representatives (Acrees) denounced that the measure affects around 186,000 families.

“We have not received a response from Icetex, the government, and much less from the Ministry of Education. The president’s statement is unbearable because it does not give an answer to the young people and leaves them worried , because the president has not fulfilled any of the promises. There are no pardons, he takes away the reliefs, it was an acquired right. In addition, it is sad, because it deceives people that this is because their efforts were spent on public universities. But it is not true,” said Castañeda.

The student leader said that they have to make the decision to join Icetex because there are not enough places to study in public universities . She also said that those most affected by this measure are the lowest social classes in the country.

"We are in limbo. Listeners should know that this did not start with Petro, although he promised that he would solve the problems of Icetex. We do not know what will happen with public universities," said the president of the Association.

Maria Alejandra Gonzalez Duarte