They report that professionals are losing out on Icetex loan subsidies.

Víctor Manuel Salcedo, representative to the House of Representatives for Valle del Cauca , strongly criticized the decision of the National Government to eliminate the interest rate subsidy for thousands of graduates from that department who financed their academic training with credit lines from the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (Icetex) .

According to the congressman, this measure would be causing great economic harm to this group of people who are in the amortization (payment) stage , based on information provided by the same entity and requested by the representative's office.

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" It is unacceptable that the National Government turns its back on young people who, with enormous effort and relying on state support, managed to complete their professional careers ," Salcedo said.

And he added: " First, they offer them a loan with certain conditions, and now, just as they begin to build their future employment, they change the rules of the game and make their debt more expensive by eliminating a vital subsidy. Justifying this with 'fiscal difficulties' while affecting the pockets of almost 10,000 Valle del Cauca families who invested in education is an example of the lack of priority this government gives to youth and the future of the country ."

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According to data from Icetex, as of February 2025, a total of 9,893 young professionals residing in Valle del Cauca saw an increase in their monthly educational loan payments due to the suspension of this subsidy by the National Government , so the average percentage increase in monthly payments is 18.84%, for Valle del Cauca students.

Representative Salcedo also noted that this measure " disproportionately " affects young people from the most vulnerable socioeconomic strata. Of the nearly 10,000 affected in Valle del Cauca, the vast majority belong to strata 1 (2,146), 2 (5,095), and 3 (2,557), according to figures from the lending institution .

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Information from Icetex reveals that, following the elimination of the subsidy, these young people are being charged interest rates of CPI+9% and CPI+12% during their repayment period .

" From Congress, we will implement rigorous political oversight to demand that the promises made to our students be fulfilled. We cannot allow those who see higher education as a way to get ahead to be penalized ," the Valle del Cauca representative stated.

PORTFOLIO