Who Runs Colombia’s Foreign Policy?

Colombian FM Gilberto Murillo.


By: Rander Peña

January 14, 2025 Hour: 8:29 am

In practice, Colombian foreign policy appears to have been outsourced to Washington.

The question lingering in the air is unavoidable: Who truly governs Colombia’s foreign policy? Is it the progressive president Gustavo Petro, democratically elected by millions of Colombians, or Juan Manuel Santos, comfortably operating from the shadows through the ever-compliant Foreign Minister Gilberto Murillo?

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To clarify matters, let us recall a fundamental detail: according to Colombia’s Constitution, the president directs the country’s foreign policy, heading the Foreign Policy National Administrative System. That, of course, is in theory. In practice, it seems this responsibility has been outsourced to Washington, with Santos acting as an intermediary and, for now, Murillo as the executor.

The real question is: Who is behind Murillo? It is impossible to overlook the tragicomic turn in this narrative. Gustavo Petro, the president for whom millions of Colombians voted, hopeful for sovereign and progressive change, has a foreign minister whose loyalty does not lie in Bogota but in Washington.

Murillo has long-standing ties to the United States, where he owns property, has worked for imperial power structures, and even lacks Colombian nationality. After all, Murillo responds with remarkable promptness to the “recommendations” of Santos and the United States.

One must note that Gilberto Murillo has a direct employer—the U.S. Department of State—which reportedly pays him and lobbied for his current position. At what cost, one wonders, did Murillo become Foreign Minister? What pact did he make to achieve this role?

It would be naïve to think that, once appointed Foreign Minister, Murillo would stop answering to his true and direct superiors in the U.S. and begin following the will of the Colombian people. But should we be surprised that a Colombian foreign minister acts as a foreign envoy? The answer is NO. In Colombia, this has historically been the norm.

The truth behind all this is that Murillo assumes that by obediently serving imperial interests, he will secure the nomination for Colombia’s presidency. Seeking the blessing of his masters, he hopes to become the candidate of “Santismo.” This is an indisputable and well-known reality.

However, to win the Santismo nomination, Murillo has been instructed to sabotage everything related to Venezuela. Let us compare all of President Petro’s statements on Venezuela with Murillo’s; they contradict each other. Petro aligns more closely with the desires of the people: respect and peace. Meanwhile, Murillo is overtly interventionist, provoking scenarios of war with fascist motives.

It is unacceptable for the people, who have chosen a clear path, to have their objectives obstructed by someone subordinated to foreign interests. The united peoples must prevent this from continuing.

These low-level officials with limited cognitive abilities must not be allowed to undermine the wise people who know exactly what they want.

And what about the Colombian people? The people who waited decades to see a progressive president govern with sovereignty, justice, and dignity? What role do they play in this drama? Apparently, that of resigned spectators.

For while some dreamed of an independent foreign policy aligned with human causes, what they got instead was a tragicomedy in which the foreign minister acts as a puppet of the same interests Petro promised to confront.

To the vulgar and limited Murillo, we say: “The devil poorly rewards those who serve him well.” And to the people of Colombia, we send all our love and solidarity—those people who continue to face the same imperial and oligarchic interests as always.

The current battle is the eternal battle: Bolivar vs. Monroe. Bolivar vs. Santander. Long live the Bolivarian people of Venezuela and Colombia.

Autor: Rander Peña, Vice President of International Affairs of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela

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