Bancada Caribe pushes for regional autonomy in Congress with plan to create territorial entity

A long-standing debate in Colombia's Caribbean region about regional versus national control over decision-making has resurfaced in Congress. A new bill proposes to convert the current RAP Caribe (Regional Administrative and Planning Body) into a Territorial Entity Region (RET Caribe).

This transformation would grant the seven participating departments, Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, La Guajira, Magdalena, and Sucre, their own institutional structure. The RET Caribe would possess legal personality, its own assets, and the autonomy to manage regional affairs within constitutional and legal boundaries. This includes developing a regional plan and an annual budget to structure, coordinate, co-finance, and execute inter-departmental projects.

The initiative arrives as regional autonomy and decision-making power are prominent topics in the Caribbean's political agenda. Many in the region feel that projects, investments, and priorities are too dependent on the national government.

Project proponents emphasize that the creation of the RET Caribe would not abolish the seven departments or diminish the autonomy of their respective governments. Territorial boundaries, competencies, and resources would remain unchanged. Instead, the RET would serve as an additional layer for addressing issues that transcend departmental borders, such as regional infrastructure, water management, and coastal protection.