Roy Barreras will be Colombia’s new ambassador to the UK, as revealed on Tuesday afternoon by W Radio. Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva also confirmed the appointment to Semana magazine. Barreras wrote on his Twitter account: “Gain distance… broaden perspective… serve with the same passion from anywhere… come back…”. People close to the politician, such as María Antonia Pardo, former communications adviser to President Petro’s campaign, interpreted the message as farewell and wished him a speedy return: “Get some rest and think about your health too. I imagine the family will be very happy because you will have space to get away from so much stress and focus on healing. You will be sorely missed here, so don’t take too long to return.”

This appointment, one of the most important and coveted by diplomats in Colombia, comes hours after Barreras’ last official pronouncement as president of the Senate, which was made this Tuesday morning in the Republican Congress. There, Barreras clarified that he would not be a candidate for mayor of Bogotá and assured that for the time being he did not aspire to become a government minister. “They haven’t offered me and I don’t aspire to be offered either. I am ready to serve the country once I recover,” said the former senator, who had to leave Congress this Thursday because of a decision by the State Council to cancel his election due to dual militancy.

Barreras also appreciated invitations from businessmen and citizens to become a candidate for mayor of Bogotá, but he made it clear that his academic and political preparation was dedicated to “maintaining the issue of peace at the national level.” The politician who now leads the Force for Peace party concluded: “Thank you, but I didn’t improvise, I’m not irresponsible.”

Barreras used his last speech as president of the Congress to bid farewell and call on the parties not to oppose President Petro’s reforms: “The opposition is rather emboldened to think that elections will be called in 15 days. I invite you not to cross like dead donkeys in the reforms that the Colombian people need.” Barreras has been a key person for Congressional approval of many of the reforms proposed by the Government, such as the Tax, the total peace bill and the National Development Plan.

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