A few days after harshly criticizing his administration’s officials in a live televised meeting, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has now asked his ministers and top officials to resign.
During a meeting last Tuesday, Petro expressed his frustration with his cabinet. The five-hour-long meeting was broadcast live on state television. In it, Petro stated that Colombia’s current government is not functioning properly.
He further said that several officials, including the ministers of commerce, education, and health, have failed to complete important projects on time.
On Sunday, in a post on social media platform X, Petro wrote, “I request the resignation of the ministers and directors of the administrative department. Some changes will be made in the cabinet to better align with the people’s mandate.”
Since the meeting on Tuesday, three ministers and two senior officials have resigned by Sunday night.
Following Petro’s request, Labor Minister Gloria Ramírez announced her resignation in a post on X. She wrote, “Politics must move forward without favoritism or ambiguity.”
Earlier, Colombia’s Environment Minister, María Susana Muhamad González, had also resigned.
During Tuesday’s meeting, several ministers strongly objected to the presence of Petro’s close associate, Armando Benedetti. Benedetti is under investigation for alleged illegal financial transactions during Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign. Additionally, his ex-wife has