Financial Exclusion and Criminalization of Poverty in Colombia: An Analysis Based on Ruling T-113 of 2025 of the Colombian Constitutional Court
In Ruling T-113 of 2025, the Colombian Constitutional Court addressed the case of Augusto Flórez Lozano, who was repeatedly denied access to a savings account due to his criminal record. The Court held that financial compliance systems like SARLAFT cannot be applied automatically when they obstruct the constitutional right to reintegration. It emphasized that access to the financial system is indispensable for social and economic reintegration and that blanket exclusions reinforce stigma and perpetuate inequality. By ordering banks to open an account for Flórez and instructing the Financial Superintendency to issue clear guidelines, the Court underscored that financial inclusion is not a privilege but a fundamental condition for economic citizenship. As Juan Camilo Boada Acosta notes, this decision marks a milestone in balancing AML/CFT obligations with human dignity, affirming that reintegration must be a practical reality rather than a constitutional aspiration.
