In Colombia, De la Espriella achieved a victory in passing the national budget, despite facing tenuous support in Congress. To secure approval, De la Espriella compromised on previously stated austerity measures, redirecting 11.4 trillion pesos originally allocated for debt repayment to members of Congress. The budget's passage was secured only with the last-minute return of 20 Liberal party members, ensuring a necessary quorum. This move demonstrates the delicate political landscape and the compromises required to govern effectively within Colombia's legislative framework. The initial stance of protecting debt payments was abandoned to gain congressional backing, highlighting a potential shift in fiscal priorities. This outcome, reported by *La Silla Vacía*, underscores the challenges of maintaining fiscal discipline in the face of political pressures.