Luis Gilberto Murillo will be the chancellor in charge during the suspension of Álvaro Leyva. Murillo, 57, is the first Afro-Colombian to head the diplomatic representation in Washington.

At 81 years old, Leyva is the oldest figure in the cabinet. Despite being surrounded by controversy, he had so far overcome without major shocks both the attempts at political control in Congress and the ministerial shakeups throughout the year and a half that Petro has been in power.