The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced on Monday night the departure of three of his ministers, including Alejandro Gaviria, former head of the education portfolio, one of the strongest critics of the proposed health reform, which has generated controversy inside and outside the administration.
During a speech from the Casa de Nariño, The president also announced the departure of the Minister of Sports, María Isabel Urrutia, and that of Culture, Patricia Ariza.
“I appreciate the services provided by the ministers Alejandro Gaviria, María Isabel Urrutia and Patricia Ariza, with their contributions they have contributed to enriching the debate and initiating the changes for which the country voted. And I invite them to help us from wherever they are to build this social pact,” said the president.
Ariza and Urrutia told local media that they were not notified by the president of his departure, before the public announcement. According to Snail NewsGaviria was summoned by Petro, in the afternoon, to ask him for his resignation.
Aurora Vergara will replace Gaviria and Astrid Rodríguez will be in charge of the Sports portfolio, so that “with new energy” they can “culminate the process of reforms that have begun,” said the president.
The announcements are made within the framework of a Health reform project that the Petro government is working on and that was filed by Minister Carolina Corcho, in mid-February, before Congress.
“This government of change is not going to give up reform to improve health, pensions and fair working conditions for all Colombians,” said the head of state, during his speech.
“We will continue to seek consensus and agreements to consolidate and deepen our reforms. My cabinet and I, as President of the Republic, remain committed to bringing out not only the reforms, but reforms that substantially improve the lives of all Colombians,” he added. .
On Monday morning, the Colombian president had confirmed the authenticity of a document presented by three ministers -among them, Gaviria-, with objections to the health reform and which, according to the leader of the left, “was discussed for hours and for days”, by himself and “by the technical teams that were designated for it”.
The fiscal impact, the need for a prior consultation, which must be debated as a statutory law -not as an ordinary law, as is currently being processed-, and the maintenance of a mixed Health system with the participation of the Promoting Entities of Health are the main concerns expressed by the ministers in the letter.
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