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Ilustración de certificados de bonos del Tesoro TES y una gráfica de vencimientos de la deuda pública colombiana que se desplaza hacia años futuros
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Colombia swaps COP$10,3 billones of debt and cuts 2026 maturities by 50%

The Colombian Government carried out a second domestic public debt reprofiling operation worth COP$10,3 billones (Colombian pesos), cutting 2026 maturities by…

--- The context --- Colombia has moved the calendar of its domestic public debt once again. The Government carried out a second debt reprofiling operation worth COP$10,3 billones (Colombian pesos), cutting maturities by COP$1,5 billones in 2026 and COP$8,8 billones in 2027, as part of the Ministry of Finance strategy to modify the Nation amortization profile and reduce short-term refinancing pressures. The operation was executed through an exchange of domestic public debt securities, known as TES, aimed at shifting part of the maturities to other terms, under market conditions and at costs the entity described as prudent. --- The facts --- With this second operation, the domestic public debt management program now accumulates exchanges worth COP$30,1 billones. According to the Ministry of Finance, the amount represents a 50% reduction in 2026 maturities and a 19% reduction in those of 2027, and in amortization terms the Government reported a decrease of COP$3,9 billones in 2026 and COP$26,2 billones in 2027, as the aggregate result of the operations carried out to date. The exchange was developed in two tranches. In the first, a competitive auction, bids worth COP$7,5 billones were received, of which COP$6,2 billones were awarded, with an 83% acceptance rate. In the second tranche, COP$4,1 billones were awarded: market makers submitted offers worth COP$700.000 millones and the Dirección General de Crédito Público y Tesoro Nacional participated with COP$3,4 billones, under the same conditions approved in the competitive auction. The total cost of the operation amounted to COP$467.000 millones, equivalent to 4,5% of the total amount exchanged. The average life of the domestic debt represented in TES rose from 10,14 años to 10,21 años, an increase of 0,07 años, and the operation focused on securities with maturities distributed between 2026 and 2062. In the exchange, the Nation received securities maturing between November 2026 and November 2027 with a nominal value of COP$10,3 billones, including TES maturing on 17 de noviembre de 2026, worth COP$1,1 billones; 26 de enero de 2027, worth COP$2,1 billones; 17 de marzo de 2027, worth COP$3,2 billones, and 3 de noviembre de 2027, worth COP$3,5 billones. In return, it delivered securities from July 2027 to March 2058 with a nominal value of COP$10,2 billones, including TES maturing on 10 de agosto de 2027, worth COP$1,7 billones; 5 de octubre de 2027, worth COP$1,1 billones; 27 de febrero de 2030, worth COP$1,3 billones, and 28 de noviembre de 2040, worth COP$1,1 billones. --- The positions --- Finance Minister Miguel Gómez Martínez said in indirect terms that debt management has helped mitigate the risks associated with meeting the State financial obligations, and he thanked the 13 institutions of the market maker program for their active participation and local and foreign investors for their confidence in the Colombian capital market. According to the entity, the central purpose was to ease the amortizations concentrated in 2026 and 2027 without increasing the Nation net indebtedness, while better managing the resource needs it faces to meet the maturities of its securities. --- What remains unknown --- The statement does not present an estimate of the fiscal savings the strategy would generate, nor does it quantify possible effects on the future cost of debt service. It also does not detail how the new payment calendar will be distributed year by year after maturities were shifted to later dates. --- Unanswered questions --- What results will the third TES exchange window bring, scheduled for 19 de noviembre de 2026 and announced as the last exchange operation of the year? How much additional relief on 2026 and 2027 maturities could that final operation achieve? Will the Ministry of Finance eventually present an estimate of this strategy effect on the future cost of debt service? --- EPM analysis --- The figure that orders the reading is the immediate relief: cutting 50% of 2026 maturities changes the short-term conversation, because refinancing pressures stop concentrating in the nearest years. The technical management, executed under market conditions and with broad demand at auction, shows a program advancing window by window and already accumulating COP$30,1 billones reprofiled. The Ministry reported that the details of the transaction will be available on its website and that the results will be sent to the fiscal control bodies, in compliance with Resolución 2419 de 2026. The third window on 19 de noviembre de 2026 will close the year cycle and make it possible to measure the full scope of the program. 📌 EPM Take: In EPM's view, this second operation confirms technical management that tangibly eases Colombia refinancing pressures: cutting 50% of 2026 maturities and 19% of those of 2027, with broad demand at auction and costs described as prudent, gives the amortization profile breathing room without increasing net indebtedness. The program, already accumulating COP$30,1 billones, orders the payment calendar, lengthens the average life of the debt from 10,14 años to 10,21 años and reduces the compliance risks the minister himself underlined. Its third window, on 19 de noviembre de 2026, will complete the year effort and allow the full relief achieved to be measured.
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