Government Petro ended “friction” between the president and the Judicial Branch: “If there was a flare, it is already overcome”

“The Government has not had and does not have and hopes not to have any friction with the judiciary,” was one of the conclusions delivered by the Minister of Justice Nestor Osuna after the meeting held by the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, with the presidents of the Supreme Court of Justicethe Constitutional courtof the Council of State and of the Superior Council of the Judiciary.

During a press conference, the minister assured that the appointment with the high courts “It was a friendly meeting, very cordial, very frank.” Osuna clarified that the Executive ended the controversy over the alleged violation of the division of powers that Gustavo Petro unleashed after assuring that, in his capacity as head of state, the nation’s attorney general it was his subordinate.

The press conference was held at the JEP, after Minister Osuna attended this body to express support for its magistrates, after they were threatened by the Clan del Golfo. There, Osuna clarified that the Executive ended the controversy over the alleged violation of the division of powers that Gustavo Petro unleashed after assuring that, in his capacity as head of state, the Attorney General of the Nation, Francisco Barbosa, it was his subordinate.

“Respecting the autonomy, the independence of the Judicial Branch, and that (the Government) is of course attentive to listen to all the judges of the Republic” and to the magistrates of the country’s high courts, declared the minister and added :

Although the Prosecutor Barbosa did not participate in the meeting in the Palace of Justice because he was abroad, Minister Osuna announced that, for now, there is no date for him to meet with the president. However, he clarified that “the president and the entire government has a permanent willingness to listen and meet, both with the high courts, with the attorney general, with the judges and with the judges’ unions,” he added.

Even, in addition to the joint statement delivered by the presidents of the Supreme Court of Justice, Fernando Castillo Cadena; of the council of stateJaime Enrique Rodríguez Naas; Constitutional court, Diana Fajardo; and Superior Council of the JudiciaryAurelio Enrique Rodríguez Guzmán, Osuna revealed other details of what was agreed at that discussed summit.

For their part, the high courts reaffirmed that, after their lunch with President Gustavo Petro, it was agreed that the division of powers and the autonomy of the Judicial Branch with respect to the Executive and the Legislative.

“We agree with the President of the Republic on the need to maintain the firm commitment to channel differences through institutional mechanisms, within unrestricted respect for judicial autonomy and independence,” the high court said in a statement after the summit. Likewise, they invited all social, political and institutional actors to strengthen cooperation between the branches of public power “for the effective fulfillment of the essential purposes of the State,” said the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Fernando Castillo.

The others heads of the Judicial Branch urged the political leaders, institutional and social actors to accompany “the common purpose of advancing within the strict framework of its powers, in the harmonious collaboration between the different branches of the Public Power for the effective fulfillment of the essential purposes of the State, as well as to preserve a frank, direct and constructive dialogue”.