Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos on Tuesday swore in Luis Eduardo Garzon as Counsel Minister for Social Dialogue.
During a ceremony in the Casa Nariño in Bogota, Colombia’s White House, Santos said that the arrival of “Lucho” Garzon to the government would contribute to the positive changes that are happening in the country as it advances towards peace.
“I am sure that he will be able to conrtibute in a practical form, with the intelligence that has always characterized him, with his ability, his people skills, so that these dreams can be made a reality,” praised the president, as reported by La W Radio.
Santos had announced that Garzon would be joining his cabinet two weeks ago and has now named him in the position of Counsel Minister for the Social Dialogue and Citizen Mobilization. His job will entail matters such as the execution of the Victims and Land Restitution Law which seeks to compensate victims of the armed conflict, as well as maintaining a relationship with the peace process with largest guerrilla group FARC that will begin in the Norwegian capital Oslo October 8 and move afterward to Havana.
The president claimed that Garzon will have a fundamental job in dialogues with various sectors of society, “for pedagogy and for channeling these objectives that I believe will join us with all Colombians, with very few exceptions.”
The new counsel minister said that the efforts of the government shouldn’t focus on the logistics of the dialogues, but rather on the agenda of discussion.
Garzon was the mayor of Bogota from 2004-2007. During his administration he advanced the development plan called “Bogota without Hunger,” to improve the nutritional status of the population. He has been praised for the execution of social programs in different areas throughout Bogota and was candidate for the Green Party during presidential elections.
