Here are the new Ministers of Culture, Sports and Education appointed by Gustavo Petro

On Monday, February 27, President Gustavo Petro delivered his second presidential address to defend the reforms proposed by his administration and to announce the departure of three members of his ministerial cabinet: Alejandro Gaviria (Education), María Isabel Urrutia (Sports) and Patricia Ariza ( Culture). The Head of State also announced who will assume these functions.

“I appreciate the services rendered by the ministers Alejandro Gaviria, Maria Isabel Urrutia and Patricia Ariza“, underlined the president in the Casa de Nariño. Although the former officials were not present, he assured that their contributions helped to enrich the debate and initiate the changes for which the country voted”.

The new ministers who will toe the line of change proposed by Petro are: Aurora Vergarafor the Education portfolio; Astrid Rodriguezwho will assume the post of Minister of Sports, and Ignatius Zorrowho will be the Minister of Culture in charge until a new appointment is made.

The new appointment of the president in the portfolio leaves someone experienced in the changes that have been proposed. The new minister is Aurora Vergara Figueroa, who already held the post of Deputy Minister of Higher Education and he was chosen by Alejandro Gaviria himself even before his possession on August 7, 2022.

The current Minister of Education is sociologist from the Universidad del Valle and holds a Ph.D. in the same specialty from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She was also the director of the Center for Afrodiasporic Studies (Ceaf) at Icesi University (2013 and 2022), and at the same institution she was a professor in the Department of Social Studies (2012-2022).

Vergara Figuerora is the author of three books: I demand my freedom. Black women and their strategies of resistance in New Granada, Venezuela and Cuba, 1700-1800 (2018); Afro-descendant resistance to uprooting in Colombia. Bellavista-Bojayá-Chocó Massacre (2017); Decolonizing the Worlds: Contributions of Black and Black Intellectuals to Colombian Social Thought (2017).

It should not be forgotten that Vergara – originally from Cali and raised in Istmina, Chocó – was one of the people closest to the vice-president France Marquez during the presidential junction.

The new head of the Sports portfolio is Astrid Rodríguez, who degree in physical education of the National Pedagogical University. He also holds a master’s degree in education and a doctorate in social studies from the Externado de Colombia University.

Although she has a wide career in education, the civil servant is not recognized in the sports field. It should be noted that he worked from 2010 to 2019 on the formulation of a Public policy on training in physical education and recreation in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

On the other hand, she was a teacher at the Education Secretariat of Bogotá and worked for 14 years as a teacher in the institution from which she graduated. For her part, the native of Bogotá has published publications on her research in physical education and sports in Colombia.

When the president announced the new members of the ministerial cabinet, he did not specify who would assume the Culture portfolio. An hour later, we learn that the music teacher, Ignatius Fox, He will be the minister in charge while someone is appointed to replace Patricia Ariza from office.

Zorro has over 40 years of experience. “He has directed programs and projects for entities such as the Escuela Superior de Música del Instituto de Cultura de Boyacá,” the presidency said in a statement, mentioning that he also directed the initiative “Training of Professionals Music for Colombia” of the Organization of American States (OAS).

It should be remembered that the official was already connected with the ministry, since he is the deputy minister of creativity.