Bogotá, November 14 (EFE) .- The Colombian presidential candidate Germán Vargas Lleras said today that if he wins next year's elections, his economic challenges will be a 5% growth. Annual%, the generation of 1.2 million formal jobs in four years and the reduction of taxes.

Vargas Lleras made the announcement by presenting his economic program in Bogotá auditorium composed mainly of politicians and businessmen, before whom he said that the country needs "a State, a Government friendly to the citizen and the employer".

The politician, who until the beginning of this year he was vice-president of the Republic, he appears in the polls as a favorite to win the presidential elections of 2018 to which he hopes to appear for the citizen movement Better Vargas Lleras, and not for his party, Cambio Radical.

In explaining his economic program, he said that in recent years Colombia has had "growth very much in decline "since the 4.4 of 2014 went to the between 1.5% and 1.7% projected for this year.

" If no structural measures are taken the Colombian economy will not return to growth, "he said.

The candidate was applauded when he presented his proposal to" reduce the tax burden for businesses to 30% ", as he considered it essential to promote the investment.

When citing World Bank data referring to the rate of taxation on benefits, the candidate said that Colombia is in the third-to-last place among 137 countries in that region. classification with 69.80% this year, surpassed only by Mauritania and Argentina, while in other countries of the region, such as Chile, that burden is 30.50%.

"This country (Colombia) 16 Free Trade Agreements can not continue with such a tax rate. finish it and it will not be possible until we lower these tax rates, "he said.

His strategy to achieve these objectives will be based on four pillars: boost private investment, the entrepreneurship and formality; State.

"If we want the economy to once again have a sustained growth of 5% per year, it is necessary to generate confidence in the country and a friendly environment for investment", He said.

Vargas Lleras stressed the need to make structural reforms, including the tax, social security and justice, the latter to provide greater security legal status to investors.

"This country must move forward with regard to legal security, the interpretation of laws and the way in which conflicts must be resolved. has not been solved very little will be able to advance ", affirmed.