Armando Benedetti, Minister of the Interior, is again appointed by decree to take charge of the Presidency during Gustavo Petro's trip to Haiti.

By decree number 1805 of 2025 published this Thursday, July 17, President Gustavo Petro designated the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti , with the functions and legal powers to take charge of the Presidency during his absence .

The president, as explained in the aforementioned decree, will travel to Haiti this Friday, July 18, 2025, where he will conduct an official visit. He is scheduled to return to Colombia the following day, Saturday, July 19.

The decree, signed by President Petro, cites Article 196 of the Political Constitution to support this decision: "When the President of the Republic travels to foreign territory in the exercise of his duties, the corresponding minister, according to the order of legal precedence, shall exercise under his own responsibility the constitutional functions delegated to him by the President, both those that are his own and those he exercises in his capacity as head of government. The delegated minister shall belong to the same political party or movement as the President."

Another decree was issued this Thursday for the same purpose, 0817 of 2025, which designates the Minister of Finance, Germán Ávila, as the President during President Gustavo Petro's visit to Chile.

The president will participate in the "High-Level Meeting, Always Democracy" in that country from July 20 to 22, during which Minister Ávila will serve as acting president.

Ana Cristina Álvarez Montoya