Quién es Letty Leal, la funcionaria que suena para reemplazar a Angie Rodríguez en el Dapre

The potential departure of Angie Rodríguez, director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre) and one of the most influential officials within President Gustavo Petro’s circle, has opened the door to a change that is gaining momentum within the Casa de Nariño: Letty Leal, the current deputy director of the agency and a technical figure with extensive experience in the public sector.

Government sources have confirmed that Rodríguez’s position is in question following an internal dispute involving former DAS executive José Alexis Mahecha, whose possible appointment to a senior position in the Ministry of Finance caused significant tensions within the Executive branch.

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Letty Rosmira Leal Maldonado is an attorney with an impressive track record in the public sector and a technical profile that, according to internal sources, makes her the strongest candidate to take over the Dapre direction in the coming days.

She currently holds the deputy director position and has been one of the most active officials in the technical and institutional architecture of the Petro Government.

One of the most noteworthy aspects of her management is the coordination of the technical table of the CSIVI, responsible for overseeing and verifying the Peace Agreement. Representing Angie Rodríguez, Leal led:

• The creation and legal design of the new Advisory for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement, essential for budgetary and security matters concerning signatories and social leaders.
• Workgroups in Casa de Nariño with the Unit for Victims, advancing strategic lines defined from the Dapre.

Before joining Dapre, Letty Leal served as the head of the Legal Office at the Ministry of Interior, a position she was appointed to by Minister Juan Fernando Cristo Bustos. There, she reinforced issues related to security, citizen coexistence, and legal oversight.

Her professional background includes being an attorney from the Cooperative University of Colombia, with a specialization in Government Management and Regional and Municipal Development, a specialization in Disciplinary Law, and another in Criminal Law and Transitional Justice.

Her profile combines legal experience, institutional knowledge, and direct management of peace-related issues, three elements that the Government considers valuable during this phase of internal adjustments.

Although her departure will be officially announced in the coming hours, high-level sources have revealed that Petro directly requested Rodríguez’s resignation during a private meeting with various government officials.

The Dapre director had been accumulating power since her arrival on February 6, 2025, supported by both Petro and then-Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti.

During her tenure, she even assumed two additional roles: ad hoc health superintendent for issues related to the Nueva EPS and acting manager of the Adaptation Fund.

However, the clash with Mahecha may have been the final trigger of a relationship that lost cohesion. The dispute was not new: during his time at Dapre, Mahecha had served as the administrative and financial director under Rodríguez’s leadership, but left after severe disagreements that eroded trust between them.

According to media sources like Semana and Blu Radio, Rodríguez reportedly blocked the publication of Mahecha’s resume in the candidates’ system, countering a direct instruction from the president. She opposed his appointment, citing concerns over the ex-officer’s background at the DAS, particularly during the years of illegal wiretapping, a sensitive chapter within the current Government.

The controversy escalated rapidly. Close allies of Petro, such as Susana Muhamad and Alexander López, expressed concerns regarding Mahecha’s arrival. Tensions worsened when, despite Rodríguez’s opposition, Mahecha’s professional profile was officially published on December 2, igniting an internal crisis at Dapre.

Dapre has had five directors in less than three years: Mauricio Lizcano, Carlos Ramón González, Laura Sarabia, Jorge Rojas, and Angie Rodríguez. If Leal’s appointment is confirmed, she would be the sixth person to hold the position during Petro’s administration.

Her appointment would be seen as an attempt to restore internal stability within the agency, which has been marked by political bickering, frequent changes, and bureaucratic confrontations.

As Casa de Nariño prepares to officially announce Rodríguez’s exit, Letty Leal’s name is increasingly emerging as the new director of Dapre, a strategic move in the final stretch of the Petro Government.