Colombia’s newly-elected leftist President Gustavo Petro has ousted his finance minister, who had been serving in the role for just a few weeks. The move comes as Petro faces increasing pressure to deliver on his ambitious campaign promises, which include a major overhaul of the country’s economy.
The finance minister, José Antonio Ocampo, was a respected economist who had previously served as finance minister under two different Colombian presidents. He was seen as a key figure in Petro’s economic team, and his ouster is a major blow to the new government.
Petro has not yet named a replacement for Ocampo, but he has said that he is looking for someone who is “committed to the transformation of Colombia.” The new finance minister will face a daunting task, as Petro has promised to raise taxes, increase spending on social programs, and renegotiate Colombia’s trade deals.
Petro’s election was a historic moment for Colombia, as he is the first leftist president in the country’s history. However, his victory has also been met with some trepidation, as Petro has promised to make significant changes to the Colombian economy. It remains to be seen whether Petro will be able to deliver on his promises, but his ouster of the finance minister is a sign that he is willing to take bold steps to transform Colombia.
Here are some of the reasons why Petro ousted his finance minister:
- Ocampo was seen as too moderate for Petro’s liking. Petro is a self-described “democratic socialist” who has promised to make significant changes to the Colombian economy. Ocampo, on the other hand, is a more traditional economist who has served in the finance ministry under two different Colombian presidents.
- Ocampo was not in favor of some of Petro’s key economic policies, such as raising taxes and increasing spending on social programs. Petro has promised to raise taxes on the wealthy and use the money to fund social programs for the poor. Ocampo, on the other hand, was concerned that raising taxes would hurt the Colombian economy.
- Ocampo was not seen as a team player. Petro has said that he is looking for a finance minister who is “committed to the transformation of Colombia.” Ocampo was seen as more of a technocrat than a politician, and he was not seen as being fully committed to Petro’s vision for Colombia.
The ouster of the finance minister is a sign that Petro is willing to take bold steps to transform Colombia. However, it remains to be seen whether Petro will be able to deliver on his promises.