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This paper explores the aspects of political economy that have influenced processes of tax reform in Colombia over the last two decades. The main limitations to tax reform have come from the high fragmentation of and lack of programmatic discipline in Congress as a result of changes introduced by the Constitution of 1991 and from the strong lobbying power of special interest groups. Increasing revenues, the main goal of successive reforms, has been difficult, especially in the period 1991-2005. Given political constraints, various administrations increased nominal tax rates while at the same time expanding popular tax exemptions. In addition, the need for revenue led to the creation of highly distortionary taxes. As a result, a complicated, inefficient, and inequitable tax system emerged. There have been several efforts to establish a better tax system since 2006, but the same political obstacles prevented the achievement of this objective. The most recent reform, undertaken in 2012, addressed a number of structural problems in the tax system, but also raised the question of whether a more efficient and equitable tax system could be reached only through a gradual process.

We are grateful to The Tinker Foundation for their generous support of this project.

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Natalia Salazar

La Fundación para la Educación Superior y el Desarrollo (Fedesarrollo), Colombia
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Latin America Program

The Wilson Center’s prestigious Latin America Program provides non-partisan expertise to a broad community of decision makers in the United States and Latin America on critical policy issues facing the Hemisphere. The Program provides insightful and actionable research for policymakers, private sector leaders, journalists, and public intellectuals in the United States and Latin America. To bridge the gap between scholarship and policy action, it fosters new inquiry, sponsors high-level public and private meetings among multiple stakeholders, and explores policy options to improve outcomes for citizens throughout the Americas. Drawing on the Wilson Center’s strength as the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum, the Program serves as a trusted source of analysis and a vital point of contact between the worlds of scholarship and action.  Read more