The relationship between the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, and her vice minister Belizza Ruiz would be broken. The latter presented her resignation letter directly to President Gustavo Petro, and after more than 15 days she has not been accepted. Meanwhile, both officials publicly contradict themselves regarding the management of one of the most questioned portfolios at the beginning of the Government and in charge of one of the main policies: the energy transition.
This frustrated relationship in the highest sphere of the Ministry of Energy worried the directors of the entities attached to that portfolio, such as the president of the National Hydrocarbons Agency, Clara Guatame; the president of the National Mining Agency, Álvaro Pardo; the director of the Institute for Planning and Promotion of Energy Solutions, Javier Campillo; the director of the Geological Service, Julio Fierro Morales; and the director of the Energy Mining Planning Unit, Carlos Correa.
Five of the seven directors of the entities attached to the Ministry of Mines signed a letter sent to President Petro, in which they asked him to accept Ruiz’s resignation. The document would have been sent just after Minister Vélez revealed the deep differences that she has with her subordinate in a press conference.
It is necessary that those of us who work on this purpose (fair energy transition) can have fluid and collaborative communication, which allows us to build the relevant scenarios to advance in the achievement of the ministerial and institutional objectives”, they indicated in the document.
Ruiz assured on the Caracol Radio station that he did not agree with a report entitled “Balance of hydrocarbon contracts and resources available for the Just Energy Transition” that the government has used to justify the Ministry’s policy, including in the World Economic Forum.
Vélez assured that Ruiz should have formulated his disagreements in time, to her as head of the portfolio, at a time when he had the opportunity to make proactive contributions, but he would only have known his position now that the media revealed it.
“Unfortunately we have been showing that joint work with the vice minister, Belizza Ruiz, is increasingly difficult to achieve. On the contrary, we have come across the null possibility of coordination and communication, which is making the work of the Ministry and its entities difficult,” the officials said in the letter.
In the document that was sent to the president, they add that “the deputy minister’s actions seem to respond to individual interests and not to those discussed and agreed upon by those of us who are absolutely committed to the government of change.”
They ask the president to consider a new person to hold the position of vice minister, that is, to accept the resignation that he has kept in his office since January 10, 2023. They hope that a person with whom they can talk will come to the position, plan, coordinate and execute the purposes of energy policy.
Likewise, the undersigned support the management and vision of Minister Irene Vélez-Torres, and we will continue our coordinated work under her leadership to carry out the necessary transformations in favor of a more equitable society with more democratic access to energy services. ”, they maintained.
Ruiz delivered a resignation of almost 11 pages to the president with multiple criticisms of the Ministry’s management. Despite the situation, he continues in office and has published the fulfillment of some of his duties. Minister Vélez, for her part, points out that accepting the resignation is not within her competence, just as she denies that they have expressed disagreements to her to sign the questioned document, which she ratified as true. with Infobae