The national government made the decision to withdraw the Republic of Colombia from the Coalition, as announced in a letter issued by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the organization, with immediate effect.
The Caribbean Affirmative organization reported that the country, which served as co-president alongside Spain, left the coalition before finalizing the mandate assumed in December 2024. Because of this, the organization requested public explanations from both the Government and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This coalition is composed of governments and civil society entities from various countries, operating in areas such as international diplomacy, legislation, public policies, donor coordination, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and humanitarian protection.
According to official sources consulted by Caribbean Affirmative, the reason presented by the executive to justify the withdrawal was linked to the perception that Colombia's presence in the structure represented a legacy of the previous government. However, the organization argued that the rights of LGBT people should be part of state commitments and not subject to governmental changes.
The association also requested clarification on maintaining the equality agenda in Colombian foreign policy and on the funds allocated for the implementation of the Feminist Foreign Policy in 2027.
Pedro Agustín Roa, the Colombian deputy minister responsible for Migratory, Consular, and International Protection Affairs, assured that the decision to distance the country from the ERC does not signal a retreat in safeguarding the LGBT population. The ministry justified the departure as a result of a process of redefining foreign policy priorities, where it was concluded that participation in the coalition was no longer considered a priority.
Additionally, during the electoral campaign, the current Colombian President, Abelardo de la Espriella, expressed opposition to same-sex couples adopting children, a stance that is part of his defense of the traditional family and has been cited by groups as a factor of concern regarding the direction of the Government's equality policies.