La Silla Vacía confirmed it with high government sources. It would have happened last night after a harsh council of ministers in which the president, once again, complained about the execution of the cabinet.
The House of Nariño pointed out that it was not the president who asked for the resignation.
.@infopresidencia clarifies to public opinion that in the ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????? held yesterday at the @Casa_Narinothe president of the Republic, @petrogustavodid not request the resignation of his cabinet.
Therefore any version is denied by…
— Colombian Presidency ???????? (@infopresidencia) February 1, 2024
The president’s annoyance. Days ago, and in several public speeches, the president had criticized the lack of ambition of his officials and that they kept in their positions people who came from working with his political enemies, such as Iván Duque.
The first to leave was Jorge Iván González, the director of National Planning.
Those who are in trouble with Petro: The first on the list is the Minister of Sports, Astrid Rodríguez, for the loss of Colombia’s hosting of the Pan American Games, due to lack of payment.
Rodríguez already has a motion of censure in the Senate. La Silla learned that several members of the Historical Pact bench will vote to remove her from office.
According to congressmen close to the government, the Ministers of the Interior, Luis Fernando Velasco, could leave; Education, Aurora Vergara; Foreign Relations, Álvaro Leyva; Defense, Iván Velásquez, and Housing, Catalina Velasco.
It is the president’s third ministerial shake-up. In February 2023, the Ministers of Agriculture, Education and Culture left. In April, also after a mass resignation, the president made a second move.
Editor’s note: At 11:48 AM we changed the title of the entry and included the version of the Casa de Nariño.