The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, publicly presented a renewed cabinet on Thursday, February 27, following resignations and dismissals stemming from an unusual televised Council of Ministers that revealed internal divisions nearly a month ago. Among the changes, Colombia's Vice President, Francia Márquez, was removed from the Ministry of Equality that she had led since its creation in 2023.
In a public letter, Márquez warned of potential risks to her life for denouncing corruption and criticizing the government. As the first Afro-descendant to hold the Vice Presidency, she was one of the voices questioning the appointment of high officials and highlighting the growing violence in the country during the televised meeting that showcased internal tensions within the government.
In her statement, the vice president expressed her concerns without naming names directly, citing Bolívar and emphasizing the challenges of maintaining freedom amid internal pressures. In response, Petro accepted the resignation of Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment, who voiced her disagreements with one of the appointments.
In the cabinet restructuring, Lena Yanina Estrada was appointed as the first Indigenous minister of Colombia, and new ministers of Mines and Energy, Sports, and Culture were appointed. Despite the changes, Petro reaffirmed some previous appointments and retained Yannai Kadamani as Minister of Culture.
Amid dismissals and appointments, Vice President Márquez's figure gained prominence due to her denunciations and internal confrontations, as well as her reminder of potential threats to her integrity. Throughout the process, the tension among cabinet members was evident, leading to multiple resignations and crucial decisions by President Petro to reconfigure his ministerial team.
