International
Colombia: Petro announces departure of three ministers, including one critical of healthcare reform
February 28 |
The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced on Monday night the departure of three of his ministers, including Alejandro Gaviria, former head of the education portfolio, one of the strongest critics of the proposed health reform, which has generated controversy within and outside the administration.
During a speech from the Casa de Nariño, the President also announced the departure of the Minister of Sports, María Isabel Urrutia, and the Minister of Culture, Patricia Ariza.
“I thank the services rendered by Ministers Alejandro Gaviria, María Isabel Urrutia and Patricia Ariza, with their contributions they have contributed to enrich the debate and to initiate the changes for which the country voted. And I invite them to help us build this social pact from wherever they are”, said the President.
Ariza and Urrutia told local media that they were not notified by the president of their departure before the public announcement. According to Caracol Noticias, Gaviria was summoned by Petro in the afternoon to ask for his resignation.
Aurora Vergara will replace Gaviria and Astrid Rodríguez will be in charge of the Sports portfolio, so that “with new energies” they can “culminate the process of reforms initiated”, stated the president.
The announcements are made in the framework of a health reform project that Petro’s government is working on and which was submitted to Congress by Minister Carolina Corcho in mid-February.
“This government of change will not give up on reforms to improve health, pensions and fair working conditions for all Colombians,” said the head of state during his speech.
“We will continue to seek consensus and agreements to consolidate and deepen our reforms. My cabinet and I, as President of the Republic, remain committed to achieve not only reforms, but reforms that substantially improve the lives of all Colombians”, he added.
On Monday morning, the Colombian president had confirmed the authenticity of a document presented by three ministers -among them, Gaviria-, with objections to the health reform and which, according to the leader of the left, “was discussed for hours and days”, by himself and “by the technical teams that were appointed for that purpose”.
The fiscal impact, the need for a prior consultation, which will have to be debated as a statutory law – not as an ordinary law, as it is currently being processed – and the maintenance of a mixed health system with the participation of the Health Promoting Entities are the main concerns expressed by the ministers in the letter.
International
Rubio rules out 2028 presidential bid if Vance runs
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would not seek the presidency in 2028 if current Vice President JD Vancedecides to run as the Republican nominee to succeed President Donald Trump.
“If JD Vance runs for president, he will be our candidate, and I will be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio said in an interview with Vanity Fair, in which he appeared alongside other senior members of the presidential cabinet.
Rubio, 54, and Vance, 41, are widely viewed as two of the leading Republican figures who could headline the party’s ticket in the 2028 election. Under the U.S. Constitution, Trump is barred from seeking another term after completing two presidential mandates.
In a lighthearted moment during the interview, Vance jokingly offered photographers $1,000 if they managed to make him look better than Rubio in the photos. Both leaders have received public backing from Trump, who last October floated the idea of a joint ticket featuring Rubio and Vance, without clarifying who would lead it.
“I think that if they ever teamed up, they would be unstoppable. I don’t think anyone would run against us,” Trump said at the time.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who also took part in the interview, confirmed that Trump does not intend to violate the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits a third presidential term, though she acknowledged that the president is “having fun” with speculation about a possible return to office.
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, served as a Republican senator from 2010 to 2025. He sought the party’s presidential nomination in 2016 but was defeated by Trump after a bruising primary contest. His name was floated as a potential vice presidential pick in 2024, but Vance ultimately secured the spot. After taking office, Trump appointed Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first Latino to hold the position.
International
Authorities search for armed and dangerous suspect in fatal Brown University attack
According to the statement, investigators are “seeking the public’s help to identify and speak with an individual” who was seen “near” the suspect at the time of the attack.
The Providence Police Department in Rhode Island released three photos of the person of interest, whose face has been blurred. In the images, the individual is wearing navy blue clothing, what appears to be a green hood, and carrying a light-colored backpack.
Earlier, authorities had released several photos and videos of a suspect described as “approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a stocky build,” dressed in dark clothing, with their face covered by a surgical mask and wearing a beanie. The suspect’s identity remains unknown.
Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible for the killings, who is considered armed and dangerous.
The gunman opened fire on Saturday at Brown University’s engineering and physics building, where exams were being held, killing students Ella Cook and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov. The names of the nine people injured have not been released.
International
Police investigate deaths of Rob Reiner and wife as apparent homicide
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is investigating the deaths of Hollywood actor and filmmaker Rob Reinerand his wife as an “apparent homicide,” amid a wave of tributes to the director of classics such as When Harry Met Sally.
According to U.S. media reports on Sunday, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles mansion with what appeared to be stab wounds.
Several political figures shared messages of condolence following the reported deaths of the director of A Few Good Menand his wife.
While the LAPD did not officially confirm the identities of the victims, it stated that homicide detectives were dispatched to the Reiner residence.
“At this time, no additional details are available and the investigation into an apparent homicide is ongoing,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement posted on social media.
LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told reporters that no arrests have been made and that no individuals are currently being questioned as suspects.
“I’m not going to confirm whether anyone is being questioned at this moment or not. We are going to try to speak with as many family members as we can,” Hamilton said.
CNN reported that a family spokesperson confirmed the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and former Vice President Kamala Harrisissued statements expressing their condolences.
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