As was presumed, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, resigned from her position in the national government. The official published her resignation letter on the morning of Wednesday, July 19, through her Twitter account and assured that she would be willing to contribute to the inquiries she is facing at the Attorney General’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office.
In her extensive four-page text, the outgoing head of portfolio listed the achievements she achieved while leading the hydrocarbon and energy sector in Colombia since August 2022 when the so-called Government of change began.
Vélez resigned after the recent scandals he has been involved in, such as overreaching his duties to coerce a Colombian Migration official to let his son leave Cali for Spain without the required permits.
In addition, the considered untouchable file of the Government of President Gustavo Petro has earned several questions due to the contract that her husband also has with the Colombian State. Dutch filmmaker Sjoerd van Grootheest has a contract worth $128,770,332, which will be paid in 12 monthly installments of $10,730,861. This salary assignment will be delivered for directing the communication strategy of the Illicit Crop Substitution Directorate (DSCI).
What does the letter say?
After describing 35 supposed merits that she achieved in the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez sent a message of gratitude to the head of state by allowing her 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 the position of Minister to prevent the investigations against me from interfering with the execution of the Government program,” announced Irene Vélez.
In addition, the one who will now become the ex-equiper of the president assured that she will be “always ready to respond to the authorities when they require it,” added Vélez.
Although since she took office she has been the target of controversy, memes and multiple criticisms, the outgoing minister assured that she was always clear that “change would not be easy” and that “neither attacks nor mockery will distract us from what is important”. he assured and left a message to his opponents.
“They have sought to demoralize and delegitimize us to prevent us from changing the dominant power structures and breaking the exclusive circles of accumulation that have plunged us into poverty and violence,” he said.
He also said that “from any position” in which he finds himself, he will continue to fight against racism, raising the flags of progressivism and invited to “continue promoting and materializing the profound transformations that “total peace” demands of us.”
Finally, the former minister today expressed her unrestricted support for the national government and used President Petro’s motto to tell him that she will continue betting on her campaign promises.
“My conviction will continue to be to contribute and accompany the just and popular struggles and materialize the commitments for transformation and accompany the just popular struggles and materialize the transformation commitments that our program establishes, always with the people and for the people, always from the territories that they make Colombia a world power of life”, concluded Irene Vélez.
Among the achievements mentioned by the outgoing official were the improvement of electricity coverage, the process to bring wind energy to Colombia, the strategy to incorporate 6G technology in the country and the non-closure of offshore exploration wells.
Likewise, Vélez assured that after his leadership in that portfolio, the nation would have become a “pioneer” of a program that benefited the municipalities included in the Peace Agreement with the Farc. with Infobae