International
Petro’s cabinet reshuffle seeks to “put together a coalition” to pass his reforms
April 28 |
The changes in part of the cabinet of the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, imply not only the breaking of relations with some political parties that were part of his coalition and working with more “loyal” and closer people, but also that he seeks to open spaces to move forward his government projects, according to analysts consulted by Voice of America.
“Petro is a person who has not changed since we have known him in Colombian politics, I have the impression that he can close with his people, put together a coalition to try to pass his reforms and look for the street to vote him some things as it has already happened in Colombia”, explained the political analyst and columnist of the newspaper El Espectador, Pedro Viveros.
For Theodore Kahn, associate director of Control Risks, the changes offer a more united cabinet with an ideology closer to that of the president. “There is probably going to be an effort to really put forward some reforms and some public policy objectives more aligned with what Petro had put forward in the campaign and some of the banners that he has carried for several years,” Viveros said.
In this sense, Kahn adds, he will have less inconvenience when it comes to “moderating his proposals” and “accepting points of view internally” and, in this way, “achieving the more radical objectives in some areas that he wants to implement”.
The most sensitive changes within Petro’s cabinet are in the Treasury, Health and Agriculture portfolios.
The first one, due to the stability in the markets and the national and international recognition that the outgoing minister, José Antonio Ocampo, represented, not only for being known as one of the most respected economists in the country, but also because he managed to push forward the most ambitious tax reform in the history of Colombia.
Despite his good relationship with the Colombian president, he is not as close as his successor, economist Ricardo Bonilla, current director of the Financiera de Desarrollo Territorial (Findeter), former Secretary of Finance in Bogota, during Petro’s administration, and his advisor on different issues, such as pensions.
Another sensitive issue is the health reform, proposed by the outgoing minister, Carolina Corcho, whom many legislators and political leaders have described as intransigent, which presented inconveniences at the time of advancing this proposal in Congress.
“We are in the process of this very complicated reform… Petro is going to want with this change in health to exercise more control over the administrative process of this project. He does not want to lose control of this process”, said Corcho.
His successor, surgeon Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, has more experience in the political arena. He was Secretary of Health of the Mayor’s Office of Bogota and District Secretary between 2013 and 2014. He has also been senator and representative to the chamber, which opens channels in these sectors.
The departure of Agriculture Minister Cecilia López, according to Kahn, is also “interesting”, since “she was a person with a lot of credibility, very technical and was handling a Petro’s flagship proposal that was approved”.
However, her public criticism of the energy transition project in the country and the health reform proposed by Corcho would earn her departure.
This portfolio will be led by lawyer Jhénifer Mojica Flórez, the current director of Ethnic Affairs of the Land Restitution Unit. She was deputy director of the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ) and has been part of several processes with the Association of Arhuaca Authorities of the Sierra Nevada and the Commission for the Clarification of the Truth.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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