Nine men and nine women make up De la Espriella's new ministerial cabinet in Colombia

Bogota.- Colombia’s far-right president, Abelardo de la Espriella, appointed his cabinet of ministers this Friday, following his inauguration in Cali, the country’s main southwestern city, composed of nine women and nine men, as mandated by the gender quota law.

The following is the composition of the ministerial cabinet of the country’s first far-right government, which has economist and academic José Manuel Restrepo as vice president.

The Ministry of the Interior

The head of this portfolio, one of the most important in the cabinet because it is in charge of relations with the Legislative branch, is led by Rodrigo Lara, a former member of the House of Representatives and former senator, and son of the assassinated Minister of Justice Rodrigo Lara Bonilla.

The Ministry of Defense
One of the most influential ministries in this Government. Retired Army Major General Jorge Eduardo Mora was tasked with recovering the operational capacity of the Public Force and fighting against illegal armed groups.

Mora was commander of the Army’s Eighth Division between 2021 and 2022 and previously led the Special Forces Division, in addition to holding positions in intelligence and in the fight against drug trafficking and transnational threats. He was also a strategic planning advisor to the Inter-American Defense Board in Washington.

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Academic Omar Bula Escobar has the mission of leading a “reengineering of the Foreign Ministry,” professionalizing the foreign service, and orienting Colombia’s international policy toward pragmatism. He worked for years with the UN World Food Programme.

Ministry of Finance

Conservative economist Miguel Gómez Martínez has the task of “defending public resources and putting finances in order,” as entrusted to him by De la Espriella.

Gómez Martínez has combined his career in the public sector with positions in the private sector and, among other roles, he presided over the Foreign Trade Bank (Bancóldex) and served as ambassador to France.

Ministry of Justice

Criminal lawyer Iván Cancino will be in charge of this portfolio. He has served as a delegated prosecutor before the Superior Court of Bogotá, dean of several universities, and a columnist on legal matters.

Ministry of Health

Lawyer Ana María Vesga is responsible for facing the serious crisis in the healthcare sector in Colombia, for which she has already announced a shock plan to alleviate appointment wait times and the delivery of medications.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

Lawyer and former senator Mauricio Gómez Amín, who was the campaign manager for De la Espriella’s presidential campaign, is the new head of this portfolio.

Ministry of Education

The jurist Viviane Morales was chosen to head this portfolio. She is recognized for being the first woman to be appointed Attorney General of Colombia in 2011, and for her conservative positions on social issues.

Agriculture and Rural Development

Businessman Indalecio Dangond Baquero is in charge of the agricultural sector. He is a business administrator and founder of Open Loans, a platform that helps structure agricultural projects to seek financing.

Ministry of Labor

Lawyer Natalia López was appointed to lead this portfolio. She has been a university professor, worked at the Ombudsman’s Office, and was the territorial director of the Ministry of Labor in the department of Córdoba (north).

Environment and Sustainable Development

Biologist Fabio Arjona is tasked with leading the country’s environmental projects. For more than 20 years, he directed the organization Conservation International in Colombia, from where he promoted nature protection and climate change adaptation initiatives.

Ministry of Transport

Economist Elsa Noguera is in charge of this portfolio. She was the first female mayor of Barranquilla, Minister of Housing between 2016 and 2017 during the Juan Manuel Santos administration, and governor of the Atlántico department (north).

Ministry of Mines and Energy

Electrical engineer María Nohemí Arboleda has the task of promoting the country’s energy strengthening from this Ministry.

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)

Journalist Alexandra Falla leads this portfolio with the goal of consolidating digital sovereignty.

Ministry of Culture

De la Espriella appointed former senator of the Democratic Center party (right-wing and founded by former president Álvaro Uribe) and journalist Paola Holguín with the mission of leading a “cultural battle for the Nation”.

Housing, City and Territory

Evangelical pastor Jaime Andrés Beltrán, former mayor of Bucaramanga and national manager of regions during De la Espriella’s campaign, takes office as head of this ministry.

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

Industrial engineer Claudia Benavides Salazar was chosen by the president after registering in the ‘Talent Bank’ created to seek out Colombians who want to participate in his Government.