President Gustavo Petro swore in Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio as the new acting foreign minister.

This Wednesday, President Gustavo Petro swore in Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Casa de Nariño . She officially replaces Laura Sarabia, who resigned over the passport case.

The president entrusted him with the task of continuing to consolidate a foreign policy focused on peace, regional integration, and global justice. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (DAPRE), Angie Rodríguez, and the Chief of Staff, Alfredo Saade.

Villavicencio holds a degree in economics from the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, a specialization in International Development Cooperation from the Complutense University of Madrid, and a master's degree in Migration and Intercommunity Relations.

She has been known for her work on behalf of migrants abroad, but she has been criticized for not speaking English and for defending Chavismo in the past.

The Historic Pact told EL TIEMPO that the new acting chancellor is very close to President Petro. It is not ruled out that she will remain in her position until the end of the current administration.

She joined the Foreign Ministry in November 2022 as coordinator of the Internal Working Group "Colombia Nos Une," which seeks to connect Colombians abroad and make them subjects of public policies. There, controversies arose over contracts that allegedly lacked a public call, which caught the attention of oversight bodies. So far, no irregularities have been found.

Three months ago, it was announced that Villavicencio would move to Bogotá to take over as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Daniel Ávila. Although it was reported that Villavicencio would be taking on a role as Deputy Minister of Migration, that office has not yet been created, so she has assumed Ávila's duties.

"As a union organization, we celebrate that an exemplary woman, who has walked with sensitivity and commitment alongside our fellow citizens in transition and in the process of rebuilding their lives, is assuming this important position with responsibility and legitimacy," stated the Foreign Ministry's union organization, Semrex.

Villavicencio has held controversial positions related to Venezuela. She was an admirer of Hugo Chávez—she wrote an article after his death defending him—and after the disputed July 28 elections, in which Nicolás Maduro declared himself the winner without showing the voting records, she defended the regime. “The National Electoral Council and the observers, witnesses, and political parties in Venezuela know that the people have elected,” she commented.

The new acting chancellor will face tough challenges from the outset: sorting out the passport issuance process starting in September without causing disruption to the service for Colombians and restoring stability to the relationship with the United States after resolving the latest crisis over President Petro's statements against Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The liaison between Villavicencio and Sarabia's teams began on Tuesday. Sarabia announced that after leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he will permanently leave the Executive Branch.

Juan Pablo Penagos Ramirez