SEMANA: What happened, because they removed you from your post at the Ministry of Sports?
María Isabel Urrutia, former Minister of Sports (MIU): The one who knows is Mr. President.
SEMANA: Did you find out from the address?
M.I.U.: I did not know, nor did I suspect, nor was I previously told. It was in the speech.
SEMANA: How did you take it?
M.I.U.: Like what I am, a champion, a competitor. When I’m on stage I already know that it’s my turn, I have to win or lose and I lost to be honest.
SEMANA: Why do you say you lost because you were honest?
M.I.U.: Of course, for trying to change the sport, because he wanted it for athletes and not for politicians. That was my speech.
SEMANA: What did you try to change that cost you your job?
M.I.U.: Many shortcomings such as 63% of the budget for politicians and athletes went through work. I started to change all that and the politicians didn’t like it, we have labor, pension and reform reforms. I hurt for the athletes
SEMANA: What do you say to the country regarding your short administration?
M.I.U.: I tell the country that I never did things wrong. I did them so well, that attacking corruption, that I ended up on the outside.
SEMANA: Is there corruption in the Ministry of Sports?
M.I.U.: Yes, and in all the Ministries.
SEMANA: What kind of corruption?
M.I.U.: In hiring. We are in a political epic.
SEMANA: What might and mightn’t you do?
M.I.U.: They didn’t let me do much in five months to get the National Games back, to make the children play sports, I mightn’t do anything. That is the frustration. God knows where he puts me and where not.
SEMANA: Is it true that they didn’t let you into the Council of Ministers?
M.I.U.: If they let me, what they didn’t let me do was stop at the speech.
SEMANA: What did you say following President Petro?
M.I.U.: I thanked him for giving me the opportunity. It was a nice opportunity. It was to know and know, I thanked, greeted my colleagues, but what they did to me was not loyal. They would have called me three hours before or an hour before to tell me and I understand why I know what the policy and its agreements are.
SEMANA: Do you feel disrespected?
M.I.U.: I feel excited regarding what I did because the Colombian people realized what I did for the athletes. The surveys say so, Save national games, go to the territories, make the way of hiring change in the ministry of 2700 officials, 1000 officials remained. That is an important thing, I think, although for politicians it is not important at the time. This works by giving more importance to the politician than to the athlete.
SEMANA: What was bothering you?
M.I.U.: Make sports federations receive their resources directly and work with their athletes and take them to compete directly. If the president didn’t like that, it’s not my problem.
SEMANA: Do you want to cover something then?
M.I.U.: It’s not covering up, it’s changing. Politicians don’t want change and I voted for change, Human Bogota. I voted for Petro, he knows me, but there are political moments.
SEMANA: If you know her, why doesn’t she tell you regarding her position?
M.I.U.: Sometimes it’s hard to tell friends to get out of the way. We greeted each other, I thanked him, hugged him, and thanked him for trying to make the change I thought was possible.
SEMANA: Was the illusion with you that there was an athlete in a position of power?
M.I.U.: “For me there is no disappointment, I continue working because they knew me internationally. He had almost 4 million dollars internationally in cooperation. If Colombia doesn’t need them, I look for them through my foundation. I got it in the United States, France, Germany”
SEMANA: What was that money for?
M.I.U.:. For the development of sport in Colombia. It hurts me that I didn’t sleep and I was working to find those resources and that they vanish due to a political agreement.
SEMANA: How so a political agreement?
M.I.U.:. Ask Peter.
SEMANA: What do you think of the appointment of Astrid Bibiana Rodríguez?
M.I.U.:. I don’t know who Astrid is. It will surely come and change the whole world. Everyone arrives with their equipment. Don’t worry regarding me, I didn’t go out to fight because they didn’t let me.
SEMANA: What will become of you?
M.I.U.:. I am above good and evil. I am retired.
