The Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, confirmed her resignation on July 19 after the Prosecutor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office opened investigations against her for allegedly exceeding her power. With her departure, there are already 11 ministers who have resigned from the cabinet of President Gustavo Petro in less than a year of government.
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One of the most controversial ministers in Colombia since the beginning of her administration and until now in the closest circle of President Gustavo Petro, is leaving office. Irene Vélez, head of the Mines and Energy portfolio, confirmed her resignation on July 19 after being involved in scandals for alleged abuse of power.
“I want to thank President Gustavo Petro for his confidence, allowing me to lead a sector that has historically been ethnocentric and patriarchal (…) I have decided to step down from the position of minister to prevent the investigations against me from interfering with the execution of the government program,” she said in an extensive letter posted on her social networks, in which she highlighted what she considers progress in her management.
His statement confirms the rumors that have emerged in recent days about his departure from office, after two control bodies in the country, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office – which investigates public officials and can remove them from their posts – opened investigations against him.
Irene Vélez is investigated for influence peddling
The inquiries are related to allegations that, last January, Vélez would have pressured a Colombian Migration official to allow his underage son, with his father, to leave for Spain, “despite not having the document required by law for this type of situation”, which consists of a permit authenticated before a notary.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Vélez used his position to influence the official involved, identified as William López.
Among the evidence would be an email sent by Vélez to López, in which the man begs him to send the documentation required by law.
However, the migration agent indicated that he finally allowed the minor to leave due to the order of his superiors, referring to both the then minister and the Foreign Ministry.
This scandal adds to the controversy over the hiring of her husband, the Dutch filmmaker Sjoerd Van Grootheest, to direct the communication strategy of the Directorate for the Substitution of Illicit Crops (DSCI), for a value of around 31,000 dollars.
After the information was released, Vélez assured that “there is no irregularity, illegality or conflict of interest” in that case.
But finally, the scandals prompted the departure of the minister, until now strongly supported by the Colombian president and who survived two cabinet changes and two motions of censure against her in Congress, where she was accused of economic panic.
The management of Vélez, a philosopher by profession, was controversial from the beginning due to her positions on the energy transition and the possibility of decarbonizing the Colombian economy. It is one of Petro’s flagship projects, but with strong rejection for being one of the vital sectors for the finances of the Latin American country.
With Reuters, EFE and local media
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