Doubts about Francia Márquez's future in the Petro government

For three weeks, after the televised cabinet meeting and the request for formal resignations, Gustavo Petro's administration has been left in a kind of 'stand by', faced with the question of which minister will continue and which will leave the portfolio. The situation has already become clearer in several departments, but in the Ministry of Equality there are still doubts about what will happen.

The evening of February 4, the day of the Cabinet meeting, served to highlight the harsh rift between President Gustavo Petro and Vice President and Minister of Equality, Francia Márquez. The latter took advantage of the space to question the president, the transparency of the government and even questioned her continuity in the Executive.

“I gave you my resignation letter the same day you appointed me as Minister of Equality. You know that I put it on your desk for you to sign when you consider it,” said Márquez, who insisted that she would remain in the government until President Petro ordered it.

In addition to showing the rupture in the relationship, which had already been speculated about, what Márquez said would not have gone down well with the president. Those close to the Executive asserted that Gustavo Petro focused much of his anger on Márquez because it was she who began the live criticism and even went so far as to replicate the opposition's comments about alleged "blackmail" by Benedetti towards the president to keep him in high positions.

The wounds of the Council of Ministers accentuated the discrepancies with the vice president due to the poor execution. The Ministry of Equality was the portfolio with the worst execution in 2024 with just over 3 percent. In this way, strong versions began to sound that Francia Márquez would not continue as minister and that she would be one of the officials who would leave in the aftermath of the political crisis.

It has been three weeks in which it is not known for certain what Francia Márquez's future will be in the Petro government. Several names have already been mentioned to succeed her in a Ministry whose life span would not exceed July 2026 if the project to correct the flaws in its creation is not presented.

The list includes María Paz Gaviria, who announced her departure from the direction of Artbo just around that time. The version was read as a nod to the Liberal Party, since she is the daughter of its director, former president César Gaviria. However, those close to the former president said that the approaches to hand over the portfolio to him were false.

Another name that has been mentioned is that of Carlos Carrillo, current director of UNGRD. In the midst of the controversy, he was one of those who presented his formal resignation, even before the president demanded it. No response has been known from the president regarding his possible departure from the agency stained by the Olmedo López corruption scandal.

The latest profile to be mentioned for the post is that of Tamara Ospina, current Vice Minister of Women. She is very close to President Petro and sources confirmed that in the corridors of the Ministry of Equality it has been said that she would be Márquez's successor. This fact has generated division, since she has not enjoyed good relations with various officials, especially those close to the current minister.

While names are being announced to succeed Francia Márquez, her future in the government has not yet been defined. A week ago, the President and she met privately to discuss the matter. A new meeting would have taken place yesterday, Monday, February 24, at Casa de Nariño with the same intentions.

Not much has been revealed about what the two candidates who appeared on the 2022 ballots discussed as a formula. However, EL TIEMPO was able to learn from different sources that there was an ultimatum at that meeting. It was from Francia Márquez.

Although she said in the cabinet meeting that her resignation letter had been there since she arrived at the ministry, she would not be so willing to leave it. According to those close to the vice president and the government, she would have told the president that she would also resign from the vice presidency if she leaves the Ministry of Equality.

This warning puts President Gustavo Petro against the wall. According to the Constitution, in the event of the vice president's resignation, Congress must meet to elect his replacement. It does not specify whether he must be from his own party, or anything like that. Normally the Legislature approves who the President wants, but poor relations with the Executive could lead to the appointment of someone far removed from the president.

It would be a risk for the president to leave Congress the power to choose his replacement in case of illness or total absence. In this way, this warning from Márquez would be another factor to be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not he will continue to lead the Ministry of Equality.

Juan Sebastian Lombo Delgado