As fulfillment of a historical and long-awaited debt, the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, sanctioned this Thursday, January 15, Law 506.
The law orders the payment of interest on arrears derived from the withholding of the second installment of the thirteenth month's salary for the years 1972 to 1983, benefiting public servants and private sector workers who were employed during that period.
This historic sanction grants justice to thousands of officials and former officials who, for more than four decades, maintained their legitimate claim to the recognition of this labor right.
“I tell the gentlemen who protest daily everywhere: this is a commitment we have acquired, and soon they will receive the amount of their interest,” President Mulino expressed during his usual Thursday press conference, hours before the signing.
The sanction ceremony, signed by the head of state and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, reaffirms the State's commitment to equity, legality, and respect for acquired rights, as well as a demonstration of the institutional will to settle pending obligations and strengthen citizen confidence.
“It is a debt that we did not cause, but it falls to us to honor because they are State obligations and not those of a government… This government will not continue to transfer problems to the future: we face them and solve them with planning and seriousness, without improvisation,” Chapman highlighted.
Also participating in the ceremony were the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac; the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Herrera; the Comptroller General of the Republic, Anel Flores, and a group of beneficiaries, including Mrs. Alejandrina Gómez, who thanked the president for taking responsibility and fulfilling the payment after years of waiting.
“Mr. President, thank you because you have fulfilled the duty that others did not and gave the runaround… Thank you for calling us to the Presidency to tell us that you are fulfilling this wish,” the beneficiary mentioned.
Payments will begin next June through an orderly delivery plan. Payment Negotiable Certificates for Arrears Interest (CEPANIM) will be issued, documents that will include the beneficiary's name, the amount to be received, and the expiration date.
The MEF will be the entity responsible for coordinating and communicating the process, and payments will be made after a digital registration and appointment system to avoid queues and crowds and protect the health of the elderly.
It was also clarified that these certificates are transferable, not subject to taxes, and cannot be seized.
In the event that the beneficiary has passed away, their relatives can claim the payment through a procedure before the authorities.
--- Law's Journey ---
This Law was approved by the National Assembly in 2022 and returned by the Executive —in the previous administration— alleging reasons of inconvenience and unfeasibility.
After analyzing the objections, the Plenary approved it by insistence in a third debate on October 26, 2022.
Subsequently, an unconstitutionality objection was referred to the Plenary of the Supreme Court of Justice, which, through a ruling on August 25, 2025, determined that there was no basis for the objection.
