2023-07-20 02:07:07
BOGOTÁ – The Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, resigned this Wednesday to prevent investigations against her “interfering with the execution of the government program”, after it was revealed that she allegedly incurred in a case of abuse of power for your own benefit.
“I want to thank President Gustavo Petro for his trust, allowing me to lead a historically technocentric and patriarchal sector. Today, although we do not consider the task completed, with deep respect for the institutional framework, I decide to step down from office,” Vélez wrote in a statement.
In this way, the minister, highly criticized from the beginning of her administration, confirmed what had been speculated since the beginning of this week in the press.
In the long letter, Vélez listed 35 policies and practices that she promoted as minister in the first 11 months of the Petro government, including the preparation of key documents for the energy transition roadmap or the plan for the development of energy projects. green hydrogen.
As minister, Vélez was also a promoter of the suspension of oil exploration and exploitation operations in the country, which gave rise to numerous controversies.
Vélez indicated that he sought to “break with the inertia of a sector thought for private profit rather than for the service of users, confront despotic ways of governing, work tirelessly and rigorously to territorialize the State.”
“No one said that change would be easy, but neither the attacks nor the mockery managed to distract us from what is important, nor to take away our struggles, nor to make our flags of justice and dignity surrender,” Vélez concluded in his resignation letter.
POLITICAL ACTIVIST AND SURVIVOR, SHAKES AFTER INVESTIGATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Vélez, who took office between suspicion and distrust not only from the energy sector but also from the politician, who considers her more activist than technical, has been one of the ministers most supported by Petro in these eleven months in office.
In addition, he managed to survive the two major restructurings that the cabinet has undergone so far.
However, the announcement made last Monday by the Attorney General’s Office, that it opened a preliminary investigation against him, shook his strength in office and in Petro’s cabinet.
The investigation is due to the revelation that last January Vélez pressured an immigration agent to allow his minor son to leave the country without meeting all the legal requirements.
The Public Ministry will investigate whether the minister persuaded the Colombian Migration agent to get the minor to leave the country with his father, “despite not having the document required by law for this type of situation,” which consists of a permit authenticated before notary.
1689819424
#Mines #Minister #Resigns #Alleged #Abuse #Power #NBC #Orlando