The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has temporarily suspended its Flexible Credit Line (FCL) with Colombia, as announced last Saturday. This decision stemmed from unresolved procedural requirements associated with the FCL, which has been active since 2009. The suspension was prompted by the IMF's concern that current liquidity constraints have significantly contributed to a substantial build-up of budgetary arrears, equivalent to 2.8% of Colombia's GDP—approximately 48 trillion pesos based on the 2023 GDP figures.
Additionally, the IMF highlighted that both deficits and public debt have escalated beyond projections. The fiscal deficit of Colombia's central government is projected to reach 6.7% of GDP by 2024, up from 4.2% in 2023, surpassing the official target by 1.1 percentage points despite efforts towards fiscal adjustment.
In reaction to the suspension, President Gustavo Petro addressed IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva on the social media platform X, stating, "The vampires are coming, but vampires disappear before the sun, Georgieva."
