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PoliticsColombia

Colombian President Petro calls on his cabinet to resign

April 26, 2023

Gustavo Petro became Colombia's first leftist president last year, pledging to tackle the Latin American country's rampant inequality. But his legislative agenda has hit roadblocks just nine months into his tenure.

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Gustavo Petro
President Petro is reportedly planning on replacing some of his cabinet ministers who he blames for lack of progress on his key reformsImage: Luis Robayo/AFP

Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro has asked the members of his coalition cabinet to resign as he looks to reshuffle various ministers, news agencies reported on Wednesday citing insiders.

Less than nine months into his presidency, Petro is seeking a shake-up after one of his flagship pieces of legislation — a controversial health reform — failed to reach the debate stage in the House of Representatives.

The president expressed his irritation with his cabinet ministers, drawn from various different parties, blaming the "decisions of some party presidents" in a post on Twitter.

"Such a situation leads us to a rethinking of the government," he said in a subsequent Tweet.

How Colombia's coalition cabinet sees Petro's reforms

Petro became Colombia's first leftist president last year, pledging to tackle the Latin American country's rampant inequality.

He surprised some, especially among his left-wing supporters, by bringing lawmakers from centrist and right-wing parties into his cabinet.

But some of those parties are now opposed to his reform drive. This has left the president unable to fulfill his promises of reforming healthcare, labor laws, pensions and the judiciary that he made during his campaign.

The Liberal and Conservative Parties and the Social Party of National Unity have all expressed some form of opposition to Petro's proposals.

Petro's plans blocked

The planned cabinet reshuffle has been criticized by opponents and allies alike.

Center-right former President Juan Manuel Santos said the move would "deepen the uncertainty" already felt in the country, while Congress President Roy Barreras, an ally of Petro, said it was creating "an unprecedented crisis."

Petro has already tried other moves to push his reforms through Congress. In February, he called for protests to put pressure on lawmakers.

A few weeks after that he replaced three cabinet ministers, including Alejandro Gaviria, the former centrist education minister whose criticisms of Petro's health reforms had been leaked.

Another of Petro's pledges, to end the yearslong conflict with armed guerrilla groups, has also failed to progress after the National Liberation Army (ELN) refused to agree to a bilateral cease-fire at the end of December.

ab/jcg (AFP, Reuters)