LatinNews Daily - 15 November 2021

In brief: Colombia’s Duque sanctions 2022 budget

* Colombia’s President Iván Duque has promulgated the national budget for 2022, which allows for Col$350.39trn (US$90.2bn) in spending. That expenditure is 5.26% higher than that in the 2021 budget, which was previously the largest in Colombia’s history. Operating expenses are set at Col$210.13trn (3.13% higher than the 2021 budget), debt servicing at Col$78.01trn (+10.62%), and public investment at Col$62.24trn (+6.18%). Beyond debt servicing, the biggest expenses will be in education (Col$49.45trn; +4%), healthcare (Col$41.88trn; +16%), labour (Col$34.68trn; +27%), and defence (Col$29.07trn; +9%).