Colombia: President de la Espriella forms gender-balanced cabinet

The administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella has established a cabinet of 18 ministers, adhering to gender parity laws by appointing nine men and nine women. Notable female appointments include Ana María Vesga for Health, Alexandra Falla Zerrate for ICT, and Claudia Benavides Salazar for Science.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Equality and Equity has been removed from the national cabinet. The ministry was undergoing liquidation following a Constitutional Court ruling that declared its founding law unconstitutional due to a lack of proper fiscal impact analysis during its congressional passage.

Originally a central political pillar of the Gustavo Petro administration, the ministry faced criticism regarding its budget execution and high official turnover. Its dissolution marks the end of its mandate, even as the social issues it was designed to address—such as inequality and discrimination—remain unresolved.