In a move that could derail the health reform of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the former Liberal President César Gaviria (1990-1994) wrote a defiant letter to the leftist leader announcing the withdrawal of the Liberal Party from the government coalition. The declaration comes on the heels of the Liberal Party’s sweep in the recent territorial lections, where it secured majorities in governorships and mayoralties, reaffirming its role as a dominant force in the nation’s political landscape.
Gaviria’s letter dissects the Liberal Party’s current role in the political arena and casts an ominous shadow over its future relations with the Petro government until the next general election in 2026. Acknowledging President Petro’s idiosyncratic interpretation of the electoral victory, Gaviria leaves no room for ambiguity, asserting that their collaborative efforts are perceived as an unproductive, even detrimental, for the president’s reformist agenda.
The letter also lays bare Gaviria’s frustrations with the absence of meaningful discourse within the government, bluntly stating: “In my case, a conversation with the Minister of Health (Guillermo Jaramillo) has not been deemed useful.” The former president refuses to gloss over his strained relations with the Minister of the Interior, citing ideological disparities that have not only hindered but seemingly annihilated any semblance of substantive political dialogue.
Gaviria also expresses profound discontent with the apparent absence of a coherent and beneficial strategic plan for the Liberal Party within the government’s agenda. He unapologetically criticizes Minister Jaramillo’s discourse on a national consensus, dismissing it as vacuous rhetoric and lacking content.
In a stark revelation, Gaviria underscores the Liberal Party’s perceived absence in critical discussions, especially concerning the healthcare reform. He asserts that the party currently stands unrepresented, neither actively seeking nor being offered a role in the administration. While begrudgingly acknowledging the party’s prior support for the government’s healthcare initiative, Gaviria outlines a stark picture of the Liberal Party’s marginalized position within the national debate.
“It is nearly impossible to justify the Liberal Party’s continued participation in the government coalition. It is time to make it unequivocally clear that we are moving towards a position of independence,” stated the head of the Liberal Party on Monday.
As the Liberal Party gears up for its convention, Gaviria leaves no room for ambiguity, anticipating a no-holds-barred evaluation of the party’s engagement with President Petro’s government. The letter also serves as a rallying cry for the party to adopt a resolute and independent stance within the framework of Colombian politics, and another blow to Petro’s search for a grand national accord to promote the health, pension and labor reforms.
