The portfolio created by Petro will disappear on June 20 following the ruling of the Constitutional Court
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The Ministry of Equality and Equity of Colombia, one of the main political bets of the drug government of Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Márquez, has its days numbered. The entity will disappear on June 20, 2026, after the Constitutional Court declared the law that gave rise to it unconstitutional due to failures in its legislative process and for not having fulfilled the fiscal impact analysis.
The ministry was created through Law 2281 of 2023 and presented by the ruling party as a tool aimed at addressing vulnerable sectors. However, from its inception, it was surrounded by questions for duplicating existing functions in other areas of the State, expanding the bureaucratic structure, and consuming public resources without showing results.
Gustavo Petro alongside his vice president Francia Márquez
During its short existence, the ministry created 5 deputy ministries, 20 directorates, and an extensive network of administrative positions. Despite managing resources of nearly $2.8 trillion, opposition reports indicated that the budget execution was below 9%, a figure that made the ministry one of the clearest examples of inefficiency within the Petro administration.
The Court's ruling did not imply an immediate elimination but granted a deadline to avoid an abrupt dismantling of programs and functions. However, the Government failed to secure a legislative solution in Congress capable of sustaining the structure. In that scenario, the liquidation has already begun internally, and officials have received instructions to hand over equipment, job positions, and management reports.
Gustavo Petro alongside his vice president Francia Márquez
Far from consolidating as an effective social policy, the Ministry of Equality was marked by internal conflicts, low execution, administrative complaints, and controversial appointments. Among the most questioned episodes were allegations of workplace harassment, controversies surrounding officials appointed to key positions, and criticisms for the transfer of funds without oversight.
Now, the functions related to women, ethnic communities, "LGBTIQ+" populations, people with disabilities, and other groups will need to be redistributed among other State entities. The ministry never managed to justify the enormous bureaucratic apparatus that the Petro administration built in the name of equality and will have to close its doors.
