President Gustavo Petro returned to defend the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Velez, who has come under fire in recent days for a report from gas and oil reserves. According to the questions that have arisen, the figures in the document are not real.
(See: Minenergía’s ‘happy’ accounts on gas reserves).
Given this, the Colombian president pointed out that the official is not criticized for bombing children or stealing or allowing public money to be stolen, but “for giving as certainty a result that is an aggregation of probabilities“.
“In fact, almost all the ministries of mines have made the same mathematical mistake,” Peter added.
(See: Former Vice Minister Ruiz assures that Vélez has technical deficiencies).
Also the head of state told the press: “Arithmetic is not the same as statistics and the media repeat that mistake daily“.
“All data on reserves, even the most proven, are probabilitieshe continued.
The Minister of Mines is accused of allegedly presenting a false report on projections of hydrocarbons for the country.
(See: The origin of the ‘divorce’ of Irene Vélez and her Vice Minister of Energy).
This document would be the basis on which the Government made the decision to not award new oil and gas exploration contracts.
Minister Vélez explained, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, at the beginning of 2023, that the report, which was presented in November 2022, corresponds to a “balance of hydrocarbon contracts and resources available for the Just Energy Transition”.
“It is possible to infer that the contingent resources, both from the Sinú 9 block and from the ‘offshore’ discoveries, can supply the national demand and, even, produce a surplus in its production until the year 2037. If we take into account the prospective resources, this supply (of gas) can be extended until the year 2042”, the document says.
(See: Did the minister lie?: The answer is yes and I have proof, says Ruiz).
The controversy arose when the former Vice Minister of Energy, Belizza Ruiz, He said that, despite appearing as a signatory to the document, the study was not presented to him.
And in an interview with Portafolio and EL TIEMPO, Ruiz herself assures that Vélez has technical deficiencies.
Former Vice Minister of Mines Belizza Ruiz speaks, after her resignation.
(See: After statements by the Vice Minister of Energy, they request the resignation of Vélez).
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