COThe Colombian Ministry of Transportation, led by Minister Elsa Noguera, has suspended the implementation of the CALE (Centros de Apoyo Logístico de Evaluación), a new system intended to verify drivers' competence through additional testing. The decision follows reports by the newspaper Semana highlighting alleged irregularities in the contracting process of the CALE initiative, which was introduced during the final days of President Petro’s administration. The CALE system aimed to ensure that individuals completing driving courses had actually attended and passed them, thereby verifying their driving skills. However, the ministry claims the system would increase the cost of obtaining or renewing a driver’s license by up to $800,000. While the suspension does not necessarily mean cancellation, the ministry plans to review the system’s legality, efficiency, and capacity, including its contract with the Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD). The move is framed as a measure to protect citizens’ budgets, though concerns remain about road safety amid rising vehicle accidents.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the suspension of CALE as a protective measure for citizens’ finances, aligning with progressive values of economic fairness. It emphasizes the government’s action against potential overreach by private entities (UNAD) and portrays the system as unnecessarily costly. The narrative
