For not resigning, Abelardo declared five ambassadors to be insubstantial

President Abelardo de la Espriella declared five ambassadors' appointments insubsistent, citing their failure to submit the required formal resignation letters. According to his press office, this action follows standard procedure, wherein diplomats must resign formally before the president can decide whether to renew their mandates or appoint new representatives. The affected ambassadors include Guillermo Francisco Reyes, the Colombian ambassador to Sweden. Reyes had previously drawn public attention for a complaint filed by former President Gustavo Petro, who alleged that officials under his embassy funded a campaign aimed at discrediting former First Lady Verónica Alcocer while she lived in Stockholm. Reyes denied these claims, insisting that Alcocer herself was responsible for her own reputation and demanded a correction from Petro. Vilma Velásquez, the ambassador to Haiti, faced sanctions from the Public Prosecutor’s Office until the end of the second round of elections for her involvement in political activities supporting Iván Cepeda. The previous Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated an internal investigation into her alleged improper handling of $500,000 in funds at the embassy. Velásquez has denied these allegations. Yennifer Edilma Parra, the ambassador to Turkey, took up her post this year after the government declared the previous ambassador, Julio Aníbal Riaño, insubsistent. Riaño had led the mission for seven years. Parra is close to former minister Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo and lacks diplomatic experience outside the country. Juan Manuel Corzo, the ambassador to Paraguay, previously served as ambassador to Cuba during the administration of Iván Duque, part of the conservative party for which he was a senator. His son, Juan Felipe Corzo, represents the Center Democratic Party in Congress. William Sidney Bush, the ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, is of San Andrés and Providencia origin. He was one of the promises of Gustavo Petro regarding the representation of Caribbean islands by members of that ethnic group. The press office of De la Espriella stated that decrees formalizing these decisions are currently in process. The Ministry of Foreign Relations will coordinate the transition at each embassy and ensure the continuity of Colombia's diplomatic representation. However, the Swedish ambassador, Guillermo Francisco Reyes, did submit his resignation letter. He presented it on August 10, four days prior to being declared insubsistent. Crucially, the resignation was set to take effect on October 1, nearly two months later, raising questions about its timing and effectiveness. This move aligns with President Abelardo's foreign policy agenda. On July 27, before taking office, he announced the closure of 14 embassies and 15 consulates, labeling them as costly and ineffective. Among those targeted for closure is the embassy in Haiti, which was reopened under Gustavo Petro's administration. Abelardo emphasized that these closures do not signify a break in diplomatic relations with the countries concerned, except for Cuba and Nicaragua, where he stated there would be no connection with dictatorships. The current state of Colombia's diplomatic service reflects ongoing shifts in power and strategy, with implications for international relations and domestic politics. These changes underscore the evolving priorities of the administration and its approach to managing external affairs.