The new Attorney General, Gregorio Eljachpromised this Thursday to prioritize the work in the regions, dialogue, consensus and child protection on his first day in office, in which he replaces Margarita Cabello.
“During these four years I will lead an Attorney’s Office (Public Ministry) that is pro-dialogue, pro-freedom, pro-democracy, and that helps heal the social wounds of Colombia. An institution that seeks to overcome polarization, that is, an Attorney’s Office“Eljach promised in his presentation to officials and the press.
The new Attorney General was Secretary General of the Senate, where he was elected last October after being nominated by President Gustavo Petro for this position, which is responsible for the control of public powers and organizations in terms of corruption, which he stressed will be a “main objective“.
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“Building consensus involves listening carefully, accepting something from them and giving up something from ourselves to achieve that agreement that allows us to solve social conflicts, dialogue to build consensus, not talk for the sake of talking. It is about dialogue leading to consensus and through this conflicts and disagreements can be resolved.“said Eljach.
The new Attorney also stressed its commitment to the most vulnerable social sectors, such as those deprived of liberty, ethnic groups, migrants or victims of the conflict, and added that it will prioritize the presence in the most remote regions and the protection of children.
Gregorio Eljach.
César Melgarejo / Portfolio
Latest chips from the opposition
Her predecessor, Margarita Cabello, was the last appointment left from the Iván Duque era (2018-2022) in the main Colombian institutions and the only remaining opposition to Petro in the State itself.
The attorney in Colombia is elected by the Senate from a short list proposed by the president of the republic, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Council of State. The heads of other organizationslike the Ombudsman, are also elected by Congressbut based on shortlists presented exclusively by the president.
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For his part, the attorney general is chosen by the Supreme Court of Justice, from a shortlist also proposed by the president in office. Duque appointed very close and related people to these positions, among them Francisco Barbosa, personal friend of the then president, andCabello herself had ties to Uribismo, the right-wing political current of the former president.
Petro has chosen something more independence in these positions, which have been held by Luz Adriana Camargo, in the Prosecutor’s Office, or Iris Marín in the Defender’s Officeanother expert lawyer in peace and human rights who in the few months she has been in office has been critical on several occasions of decisions that Petro has made.
EFE
