Controversial Ministry of Equality to Continue Existing Despite Court Decision: A Look at Its Performance and Criticism

The Ministry of Equality, led by Vice President France Marquez, will continue to exist until 2026 despite a decision by the Constitutional Court of Colombia to overturn the law creating it. The court cited procedural defects in Congress for not conducting a fiscal impact analysis during the creation process of the new portfolio. Senator Paloma Valencia, who filed the lawsuit challenging the ministry, criticized it as “pure bureaucracy,” arguing that its budget of 1.3 trillion pesos was allocated mostly to positions rather than investments benefiting Colombians. Despite its good intentions, the ministry has faced criticism for executing less than 1% of its budget this year. The Ministry is divided into five vice-ministries focusing on different segments of the population and was a campaign promise of President Gustavo Petro.