President Ivan Duque has left Colombia’s ambassadors without boss since the resignation of his foreign minister on Thursday.
Foreign Minister Claudia Blum confirmed on Thursday that she had resigned after unconfirmed reports over tensions between her and the embattled president.
Blum’s departure couldn’t be less convenient as she vacated her post amid growing international criticism over Duque’s increasingly tyrannical government.
Former Foreign Minister Claudia Blum
The president has yet to confirm the resignation of his foreign minister, who apparently left her deputy Adriana Mejia provisionally in charge.
Duque failed to appoint Mejia as acting foreign minister though, which left the government’s ambassadors abroad without a boss.
Colombia’s ambassador to Washington DC, Francisco Santos, said Friday that US President Joe Biden “should maintain sanctions and squeeze the mafiosi who are destroying Venezuela even more.”
The ambassador and the Foreign Ministry remained quiet, however, after 55 congressmen called on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to suspend military aid to Colombia’s police.
US lawmakers want to suspend aid to Colombia’s police
Duque, his defense minister and the security forces have come under growing international criticism about the National Police’s use of deadly force to quell largely peaceful anti-government protests.
Colombia’s ambassador to the Organization of American States, Alejandro Ordoñez, informed Secretary General Luis Almargo about the human rights situation in Colombia.
The usually outspoken ambassador has refrained from making any public statements about the situation since Blum resigned as none of the deputy foreign ministers or ambassadors have been authorized to publicly address the growing international concerns.