Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro used the inauguration of a new congressional year to defend his three years in office and seek support for reform bills that will be introduced in the coming year.

In a 138-minute speech, Petro apparently sought to put tensions with the opposition behind him and praised Congress for approving his government’s labor and pension reform proposals.

The praise preceded the president’s attempt to warm up Congress for a pending reform of the public health system and a judicial reform that would allow the mass demobilization of illegal armed groups.

In a rebuttal, opposition Senator Paloma Valencia said that the government’s interventions in private healthcare intermediaries had been “disastrous” for the public health system.

“In health, pensions, utilities and energy, competition has brought results for Colombia. Why destroy what works when we should all improve it?” asked the senator of the Democratic Center party.

Over the past year, the opposition of Valencia’s far-right party received significant support of the outgoing Senate president Efrain Cepeda, who was succeeded by Senator Lidio Garcia of the Liberal Party.

In an interview with liberal newspaper El Espectador, Garcia said he would facilitate the debates on the government’s pending reforms.