President Gustavo Petro Requests Cabinet Resignations Amid Internal Tensions

On Sunday, February 9, President Gustavo Petro requested the official resignation of all his ministers and directors of administrative departments through a post on his X/Twitter account.

“I have requested the protocolary resignation of ministers and directors of administrative departments. There will be some changes in the cabinet to ensure greater compliance with the program mandated by the people,” wrote the president.

This request follows the tensions caused by a televised cabinet meeting on February 4, which exposed internal disagreements among government officials and particular discomfort with the involvement in the government of Laura Sarabia, a key figure in Petro’s team and recently appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the newly appointed Chief of Staff, Armando Benedetti.

Following this event, several ministers and officials submitted their resignation letter before Petro made his official request on February 9, including Gloria Inés Ramírez, Minister of Labor; Juan David Correa, Minister of Culture; and Juan Fernando Cristo, Minister of the Interior. In his resignation letter, Cristo thanked Petro for the opportunity to be part of the government and emphasized the need to prioritize key commitments in the remaining 18 months of the administration.

Jorge Rojas, Director of the Presidential Administrative Department (DAPRE), and Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment, also resigned. In an interview with El Tiempo, Muhamad stated that her resignation was motivated by Armando Benedetti’s appointment as Chief of Staff. She expressed concerns about his political representation and the trust needed for governance, saying, “He does not inspire confidence in me, personally, both in terms of political representation and in the trust necessary to govern within the Council of Ministers.”

After Petro’s February 9 announcement, additional officials submitted their protocolary resignations. Carlos Carrillo, Director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) announced his resignation via X/Twitter, motivating their colleagues to also proceed: “I believe that the entire cabinet and high-ranking government officials should submit their resignations without delay.”

In a post via Twitter/X Laura Sarabia confirmed her resignation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, position she held for just a few days: “With the purpose of allowing the president to make the decisions he deems most appropriate, I submit my protocolary resignation, ” she pointed.

Among the officials that have also resigned are: Andrés Camacho, Minister of Mine; Ángela María Buitrago, Minister of Justice; Martha Carvajalino, Minister of Agriculture; and Daniel Rojas Medellín, Minister of Education.

Headline photo: Image from the televised cabinet meeting on February 4 (Photo: Presidencia de la República)