Colombia’s Petro to reshuffle his cabinet amid crisis over health reform
Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s alliance with the political center had been on the verge of rupture for weeks, as the government tussled with the Liberal, Conservative, and U parties over support for their reform agenda. The conflict came to a head yesterday, after Mr. Petro managed to convince two conservative legislators to help pass his health reform proposal through a committee by abstaining from voting.
The move reportedly enraged centrist leaders, who threatened members with sanctions if they did not toe the party line. In response, Mr. Petro said his alliance with them was all but over.
“The political coalition we agreed to came to an end today due to the decision of some party presidents,” Mr. Petro said on Twitter. “Despite the vote of the majority for change in Colombia, some are trying to thwart it through threats and sectarian behavior. The current situation has led us to rethink our government.”
The president asked all cabinet members to tender their resignation and will make a decision on which of them to keep in the coming days.
Mr. Petro is seen as likely to accept the resignation of Transport Minister Guillermo Reyes from the Conservative Party and Housing Minister Catalina Velasco from the Liberal Party, among others.
But the reshuffle could reach much further if other centrists and technocrats such as Agriculture Minister Cecilia López, Planning Minister Jorge González, and even Finance Minister José Ocampo also leave government, although the latter is seen as less likely.
They would join Liberal leader Alejandro Gaviria, who resigned as education minister in February after taking aim at the first draft of the reform. Health Minister Carolina Corcho, the architect of the health reform, is seen as a likely survivor of this reshuffle, although the final decision now lies with Mr. Petro, who has not yet given any names.
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