Key Colombian Minister Quits Over Passport Printing Controversy

Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Laura Sarabia, resigned after a major disagreement with President Gustavo Petro over who should print the nation’s passports. This marks the second time a top official has left the government over this issue in less than a year.

The dispute centers on whether to keep using Thomas Greg & Sons, a private company that has handled passport production since 2006, or to switch to the state-run Imprenta Nacional de Colombia.

President Petro wants to end the private contract, claiming the bidding process was not fair and that only one company participated. He pushed to have the state printer take over, with technical help from Portugal.

Sarabia warned that the state printer was not ready to produce passports by the September deadline. Official documents show the Imprenta Nacional needs at least 35 more weeks to prepare for the job.

She feared that switching too soon would cause delays and leave Colombians without passports. The previous foreign minister, Álvaro Leyva, was suspended after canceling the private contract without enough legal grounds.

The private company has since sued the government, demanding compensation for the canceled deal. Sarabia’s resignation highlights deeper problems in Colombia’s government.

Reliable passport services are vital for travel and business. Any disruption could affect thousands of people and hurt Colombia’s image abroad.

This ongoing crisis shows how difficult it is for the government to balance public control with efficient service. The next steps will test whether Colombia can fix its passport system without further setbacks.

More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

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