The original Victims Law's proposer Guillermo Rivera and Juan FernandoChristo Tuesday announced to present a new bill after the parliamentaryrecess ends on July 20. The Victims Law was passed last week in Senatebut caused controversy since it allegedly discriminates between victimsof illegal armed groups and victims of state violence.
Furthermore, Rivera said that the Government lied about the costs of the Victims Law, El Tiempo reported.
The Government said that the bill as proposed -- including a compensation for victims of state violence -- would cost nearly 75 billion pesos, around U.S.$ 35 million, to compensate victims of the conflict in Colombia. The liberal Congressman, on the contrary, talked about costs of 11 billion pesos.
Rivera criticized that "the Government is playing with billions, one day the Finance Minister spoke about 75, the next day the President said it was 80 and two days later the Minister of Interior referred to 82 billion pesos".
Rivera and Christo will present details of their new bill in the next couple of days.
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