Short circuits between Gustavo Petro and Laura Sarabia in foreign policy: What's behind the new disavowal?

For the second time in less than a month, President Gustavo Petro publicly disavowed his Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia . He did so this Tuesday, under the watchful eyes of SENA trainees and those tuned into the presidential network's broadcast. The reason was the Foreign Ministry's summons to an extraordinary session with members of the Foreign Relations Advisory Commission for this Thursday, May 8, to discuss the signing of a memorandum of intent between Colombia and China for "cooperation" in the Belt and Road Initiative.

" They summoned the Advisory Commission. No. I am the head of Colombia's foreign relations ," said the visibly annoyed Colombian president in a speech in which he once again discredited former Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva—whom he now calls a traitor—for a new letter in which he recalled more episodes of failure to comply with the head of state's international agenda due to alleged addiction problems.

Although she didn't mention it directly, the Casa de Nariño government acknowledges that it was an open criticism of Sarabia . The presidential palace believes the minister shouldn't have called the meeting without prior authorization from the head of state, something the Foreign Ministry says isn't the case, stating that the head of diplomacy has the authority to call a briefing of the Advisory Commission at any time. "She wants to listen to and understand the positions of others," they stated.

They summoned the Advisory Commission. No. I am the head of Colombia's foreign relations.

Beyond these protocols, the episode adds to the recent disavowal of the elections in Ecuador. While Sarabia recognized Daniel Noboa as the winner, the president cast doubt on the results and demanded the publication of the electoral records.

"I believe the government should submit the minutes from each polling station for verification. Until then, I will make an official statement," Petro said 18 hours after Sarabia congratulated Noboa.

And two weeks ago, prior to the chancellor's participation in the presentation of the quarterly report on the implementation of the peace agreement at the United Nations Security Council, the President revealed that he had to ask his minister to change the speech she was going to deliver in New York. " The chancellor wrote to me yesterday, with her speech. I told her that they changed it a bit because we're not going to tell stories at the United Nations Security Council ," declared the president, who has been emphatic that the government must denounce the Colombian state's failure to comply with the Havana agreement.

International relations analysts have already begun to call out the government for this apparent lack of synchronization regarding foreign policy. "They shouldn't summon the Foreign Relations Advisory Commission, because I'm the one in charge here. The President and the Chancellor haven't agreed on a single public decision for quite some time ," commented internationalist Sandra Borda.

Executive sources claim there is a rift between the President and the man who until recently served as his right-hand man. Others indicate that those close to the head of state are trying to sell him a negative image of Sarabia.

The truth is that the president openly distrusts the Foreign Ministry. He not only raised objections to Sarabia this Tuesday, but also to his two predecessors. Without mentioning Luis Gilberto Murillo, he criticized the extension of the passport manufacturing contract with Thomas Greg & Sons. " Don't take me until the last day to say that the contract must be extended. Don't fool me. You have the duty (he addressed the manager of the National Printing Office) to change that contract, and they are setting traps for you, because there are people within the government at the service of Thomas & Greg ," he explained.

Far from raising the controversy, Foreign Minister Sarabia focused this Tuesday on defending President Petro against Leyva's accusations . Leyva has also launched barbs at the former director of Dapre, accusing her of being responsible for the lack of dialogue between Petro and his ministers for a long time.

" Diplomacy is a task of State, not of egos . President @petrogustavo leads with commitment, for peace. His actions support him; he does not need to defend himself from the adjectives of former officials who today only seek to cause harm. The letters from a former official now sanctioned by the Attorney General's Office for more than 10 years, who insists on denigrating the president, do a disservice to the debate," he wrote in X.

Meanwhile, there is expectation as to whether the Foreign Relations Advisory Commission will continue to be convened. Several members of the committee announced they will seek clarification on the scope and impact of the memorandum of understanding with the Chinese.

Juan Pablo Penagos Ramirez