In less than 20 days, two high-ranking officials of the current Government have resigned from their posts. What at first was apparently a personal decision, the passing of days left a glimpse of serious fissures between the high command of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, as well as in the Ministry of Labortwo portfolios that are responsible for carrying out important projects for the country and Colombians.
(Also read: Vice Minister of Pensions left because «reform is not done responsibly»)
Belizza Ruiz, former Vice Minister of Energy and Flor Esther Salazar, former Vice Minister of Labor and PensionsTwo professionals with extensive experience in their respective sectors, became known not because of their techniques, which no one has questioned, but because they remained firm in their convictions, knowledge and principles, which left them with great differences with their immediate bosses. , the Ministers of Mines, Irene Vélez and of Labor, Gloria Inés Ramírez.
Women, professionals, deputy ministers, were just a few characteristics that identified them, but to which would be added the fact that both would decide to leave their positions because they did not agree with the management and direction that these ministries were taking.
(You may also be interested in: Belizza Ruiz: «Did Minister Irene Vélez lie? Yes, and I have the proof»)
Their resignation letters are only a few days apart. While Ruiz made the decision to resign from his position at the end of January, Salazar did the same at the beginning of February, and he informed the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro.
Training
Belizza Ruiz only appeared in the position for four months. He came to the Vice Ministry of Energy by decision of Minister Vélez herself, who chose his resume among others that appeared to her. She is an electrical engineer from the National University and has a master’s and doctorate in engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In addition, she has three postdocs in renewable energy from this same Mexican institution.
Salazar, for his part, remained in office for only 23 days. He has a Master’s Degree in Economic Sciences from the National University, Systems Engineer from the Francisco José de Caldas District University and Public Accountant from the National University. He has worked in different universities such as the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, the Central University Foundation, the Autonomous University and the National University in administrative positions and working as a teacher, he has also worked in entities such as the Secretariat of Economic Development and Social Security Colombia, among others. .
controversial outings
The resignations of these two key officials for their respective portfolios, to the extent that they were in charge of fundamental reform projects, not only caused surprise in the market, but also generated strong controversy due to the circumstances in which the following actions occurred. resignations to their charges, above all, because in principle they were considered to hide the true reasons for these departures.
In the Ministry of Mines and Energy, it was assured that the departure of the Vice Minister of Energy and other changes that were being made in management and coordination positions were part of «the adjustment processes defined to accelerate the energy transition and achieve the design of its Roadmap».
For her part, in the Labor portfolio, Minister Ramírez herself assured that the departure of her subordinate had been at her own request because one of her plans was to develop projects, which is why she had decided to accept her resignation.
Ruiz left the Vice Ministry of Mines in the midst of the controversy that a questioned document on the country’s hydrocarbon reserves appeared, presented by Minister Vélez, which had serious problems interpreting figures and is not supported by its own authors.
In fact, the former vice minister showed that she was not satisfied with said report and stressed that it does have technical errors, that it did not comply with international methodologies and for this reason she requested that her name, which appears in it, be removed from the document.
Ruiz also maintained that in the Ministry of Mines and Energy «the principles of professional conduct were being violated» and accused his immediate boss of yelling at her, lying and even putting people on boards of directors who should not be part of it.
Similar arguments were used by Salazar to justify his departure from the Labor portfolio, contradicting what his boss, Minister Ramírez, had said in an interview with Yamid Amat on Sunday and published in EL TIEMPOabout a voluntary withdrawal.
But Salazar, in a document published in Twitter, He said that resigning from his position was a difficult decision, especially considering that «this dependency of the Ministry of Labor has a position on issues that have been of special academic and professional interest, such as labor and social protection issues in the old age,» he wrote.
He expressed his concern about the way in which he considers that the pension reform project is being carried out and said that: «I consider that the elaboration of the reform project has been taking place in an unresponsible way», adding that in his I went through the Ministry of Labor «I did not have support, I did not have the necessary team to work on the design, structuring, definition and preparation of the bill.»
In addition, he added that it was difficult for him to be in a place where he felt that in various circumstances his opinion was not taken into account in decision-making on matters that concern the Vice Ministry and said that «Colpensiones must be an entity with high levels of efficiency, transparency and solidity in all its processes».