The outgoing Deputy Minister of Women claims that her resignation was due to the lack of autonomy in the execution of the

Last week, the irrevocable resignation of the Deputy Minister of Women, Támara Ospina , was announced. In an interview with EL TIEMPO, the former official explained the reasons for her departure and denounced the current situation within the Ministry of Equality . The latter has been consistently criticized for its poor budget execution. Last year, the ministry was allocated 1.5 billion pesos. However, execution fell short of five percent. As of May of this year, execution stood at 2.51 percent.

This is one of the reasons, Ospina claims, that led her to resign. She claims that during her year in office, she was never allowed to execute or make a decision regarding the budget. She argues that there is inexperience, a lack of a team specialized in specific issues, and, most importantly, a lack of willingness to address issues related to women on the part of the ministry's leadership.

“If we talk about autonomy, we're at zero. Especially when it comes to the investment of resources. On the other hand, one would expect to be able to work hand in hand and as a team with the head of the entity, but when the deputy minister offers ideas and they are systematically ignored, ridiculed, and never listened to, there's a very serious problem in fulfilling this role,” Ospina asserts.

Carlos Alfonso Rosero assumed his position as Minister of Equality on February 27. Ospina claims that his arrival made the impossibility of implementation even greater. The former deputy minister told EL TIEMPO that, after his arrival, she attempted to sit down with him to have a conversation about the need to change the management team. However, this didn't happen until April 23, almost two months after her arrival. Furthermore, she says that her request was flatly denied despite presenting her arguments and proposing a new team.

Ospina asserts that two departments within the ministry were left without an appropriate leadership position, including the department for the prevention and response to violence against women, which remained in this situation for three months. It was then that she made the decision to resign, realizing she wouldn't be able to meet her goals. She also claims that her voice was systematically ignored, both under the previous administration and the current one.

"It has been very difficult to implement the resources of the Vice Ministry of Women because there isn't enough technical capacity to do so. We were never given the green light to hire contractors," she emphasizes.

The tensions within the Ministry of Equality had already been reported previously. EL TIEMPO reported a few weeks ago that the former Deputy Minister of Women, Diana Gómez, had resigned due to disagreements with then-Minister Francia Márquez. These disagreements related to the formulation of projects.

Ospina adds that the ministry's management team failed to deliver results during her tenure: "If after a year we still haven't been able to formulate a project that's been approved for implementation, then it means we need to change, because the government's time is short, and we have to deliver for women and reach out to the communities. That's not happening."

He further asserts that the team was instructed to work outside his supervision and to take orders directly from the minister or other officials in the office.

"On June 3rd, I submitted my letter of resignation to the President of the Republic. It was irrevocable, not formal. He knows my reasons. Despite Minister Carlos Rosero's strong desire for my departure, the President decided to sign my resignation until July 10th," he confirmed.

Despite everything Ospina has indicated, over the last week it has been claimed that the reason for her resignation is the emergence of 30 complaints against her for racism, violence, and workplace harassment. According to the former deputy minister, the rumor began circulating in the office's corridors on April 25, two days after her decision to resign and her meeting with Minister Rosero.

"I don't know the content of these complaints; I haven't been notified by either the ministry or the attorney general's office. There is currently no open investigation. I haven't committed workplace harassment against any official, much less racist harassment. I'm absolutely certain that this will be the outcome of the proceedings. I don't plan to rest until I see it filed," she says.

She also adds that she is preparing several complaints with her legal team, as her rights, her good name, and her mental and emotional health are being affected. She also asserts that actions were taken against her. When asked if she was a victim of gender-based violence within the ministry, she responds emphatically: "Yes, without a doubt."

Laura Sofía Valencia Ballén - It's Not Time to Be Silent / EL TIEMPO School of Multimedia Journalism