State Council Revokes the Colombian Consul to Mexico

The State Council of Colombia issued its final verdict on the nomination of Andres Hernandez as Colombian Consul to Mexico, declaring the decision null and void. Appointed by President Gustavo Petro on February 14, 2024, Andres Hernandez has been at the center of intense controversy due to his absence of diplomatic experience.

On his X social media platform account, Andres Hernandez acknowledged the decision and announced he would make a further statement on the matter.

Controversy over Colombian consul to Mexico

After over a year of evaluation, the State Council of Colombia resolved to remove Andres Hernandez from his position as Colombian Consul to Mexico. The council’s decision pointed out the illegality of Andres Hernandez’s appointment due to the existence of qualified civil servants registered in the diplomatic and consular career at the time of his nomination. Given that Hernandez lacks diplomatic experience, his appointment could not be given precedence, violating the stipulations in articles 4, section 7 and 60 of Decree Law 274 of 2000.

Suspicions of favoritism

Indeed, Andres Hernandez is a professional social communicator and journalist who worked for Gustavo Petro during his tenure as a senator from 2018 to 2022.

Gustavo Petro’s choices for diplomatic appointments have previously sparked controversy. Recently, the rumored nomination of Sebastian Guanumen, a former advisor to Petro’s presidential campaign, as the Colombian Consul to Chile, also caused important debates. On March 11, 2024, the Administrative Tribunal of the Cundinamarca Department revoked the nomination of Maria Soledad Garzon as Colombian Consul in Cancun on similar grounds.

These incidents underscore the challenges facing Gustavo Petro’s administration in the diplomatic field, as he is suspected of favoring his own collaborators over professional diplomats. In a public statement on social media platform X, Moises Ninco Daza, the Colombian ambassador to Mexico, denounced what he claimed to be judicial persecution against Gustavo Petro’s diplomatic mission to Mexico. Indeed, Moises Ninco Daza’s own appointment was declared illegal by the Administrative Tribunal of Cundinamarca Department, though he received support from President Petro.