Medellín, Colombia – Colombia’s Protection Minister, Ivan Velasquez, on Tuesday grew to become the most recent member of President Gustavo Petro’s cupboard to resign.
A post on X from the Ministry of Protection on Tuesday confirmed that Velasquez had submitted his resignation.
As many as 9 members of the president’s internal circle have submitted resignations since a February 4 broadcast through which Petro dressed down his ministers on dwell tv.
5 days later, Petro known as on all of his ministers to resign, sparking chaos throughout the authorities.
In keeping with the president, his shake up goals to “obtain higher compliance with this system ordered by the individuals. The federal government will focus solely on the success of this system,” he wrote on X.
Protection Minister Velasquez’s resignation comes at a difficult time for Colombia’s safety forces as they face elevated violence from armed teams within the northeastern Catatumbo area, in addition to a freeze on U.S. army assist by the Trump administration.
Learn extra: How Trump’s Aid Freeze Is Threatening Colombia’s Security, Anti-Drug Operations
Members of Petro’s administration who’ve submitted irrevocable resignations embrace Minister of the Inside Juan Fernando Cristo; Labor Minister Gloria Inés Ramírez; Minister of Tradition Juan David Correa; Jorge Rojas, Director of the Administrative Division of the Presidency (DAPRE); in addition to Susana Muhamad, the Environmental Minister.
Muhamad’s resignation this week got here as Petro attends a global clear vitality summit in Dubai.
A number of the outgoing ministers have said that they’re leaving on account of Petro’s latest, controversial, appointment of Armando Benedetti as his new Chief of Employees.
Benedetti was a Senator from 2006 to 2022 and Ambassador to Venezuela in 2022 and 2023. The longtime politician has a number of cases in opposition to him in courts, and an audio leaked by Semana journal reportedly consists of speech the place Benedetti says he paid bribes to ensure Petro’s election in 2022. He’s additionally been accused by his spouse of gender violence, according to El Pais.
Learn extra: Former presidential Chief of Staff named Colombia’s new foreign minister in spite of corruption accusations
“Gustavo Petro doesn’t care in any respect that Benedetti has 4 investigations within the Supreme Courtroom and really severe accusations of machista violence,” mentioned Jennifer Pedraza, Member of the Home of Representatives of Colombia, in conversation with El Tiempo.
Setting Minister Muhamad mentioned throughout the televised cupboard assembly that she “couldn’t sit on the similar desk as Benedetti” and instructed El Tiempo that he “doesn’t generate confidence” politically. Tradition Minister Correa additionally steered that Benedetti’s appointment was the rationale for his resignation, according to Colombia Stories.
Petro is now missing cupboard members, and assist from different vital ministers who stay in cupboard, a few of whom disagree together with his appointment of Benedetti.
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