Only two days have passed since Iván Name was elected as the new president of the congress and the atmosphere in parliament already feels tense.
The arrival of the man from Barranquilla at the head of the legislature, with 54 votes in his favor, apart from his partner Angélica Lozano who received only 50 votes, has created a barrier in the discussion of the ambitious reforms proposed by Gustavo Petro’s government, because despite being from the Alianza Verde party, his participation in the last legislature made him one of the most critical congressmen of these projects.
The loss of Lozano apparently caused discomfort to Interior Minister Luis Fernando Velasco, who had nominated the MP also from the Green Party. In response, the official shared a video on social networks in which he pointed out that Name’s victory is due to the intelligence of building coalitions with traditional parties.
“He had the intelligence to assemble a coalition of traditional leaders of Colombian politics who clearly have a specific strength in the Senate of the Republic, and that coalition led him to a victory that we recognize and, of course, respect,” the interior minister said.
Considering Velasco’s words, which apparently did not go over well, the congressional president stressed that “he is a traditional leader who has been defeated for years, who could not stay in congress and who was accepted into the government.”
“Yes, I was also elected by political bosses who have a track record and presence. He went missing, who is a traditional leader who’s been defeated for years, who couldn’t stay in Congress and was accepted into the government, so yes, among the many traditional leaders in parliament, they elected me. Velasco, who was there for about 30 years and then had to leave, would certainly have been one of the first,” said the lawyer from Barranquilla.
And he added: “I have no disagreement with the government and I did not get into trouble with the Home Secretary, he got into trouble with me, which is different. But he’s been my Senate partner and friend, and hopefully he doesn’t go from a good senator to a bad minister.”
In response to Name’s statements, the Secretary of the Interior sent a conciliatory message through his Twitter account this Saturday, July 22, also congratulating him on his victory in Congress.
“President @IvanNameVasquez, you and I were colleagues in the Senate and we shared ideas, but we also had disagreements that we handled with greatness. I congratulate you on your victory and I am sure that the government, while respecting the independence of the powers, will have every guarantee to discuss proposals from your presidency. In a country that wants to overcome its difficulties, the least that citizens expect is to see a minister and the president of the Senate in a mutual disqualification match, their experience can contribute a lot and we will know how to listen.” he claimed.
Source: El Heraldo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
