Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has dismissed Juan Carlos Florian, a former gay porn actor, from his position as the “minister of equality” amid a scandal within the ministry, according to a report from a Colombian newspaper.
Florian, a longstanding LGBTQIA2 activist, has been characterized by Colombian media as a firm supporter of Petro. He identified himself as a “non-hegemonic” gender person and preferred to be addressed as “ministra,” which is the female term for “minister” in Spanish. He has expressed that he sees himself as “a human being and an Afrogot,” but “not a homosexual.”
El Colombiano noted that Petro had previously mentioned he read Marx with Florian, who was involved with the Porn Actors’ Guild in Paris.
Initially appointed in September 2022, Florian’s inclusion in the cabinet quickly drew criticism. Detractors argued that his appointment breached Colombia’s Gender Equality Law, which mandates equal representation of genders in high government roles. This led to a lawyer filing a lawsuit against him, forcing Florian to step back temporarily until the cabinet could be reshuffled. His attorney contended that he should be exempt from traditional gender representation calculations, as he does not identify strictly as a man.
According to reports, Petro personally requested Florian’s resignation. This development came amid unresolved allegations of fraud linked to a significant contract signed by Florian’s Deputy Minister Dumar Guevara, alongside a scandal involving insulting leaked messages about Petro’s family.
Petro reportedly reviewed the investigation into these chats before deciding to let Florian go, though he delayed acting on it for several weeks. Guevara was informed of his termination after he failed to show up to work.
The Ministry of Equality, a contentious element of Petro’s administration, was established in 2023. At that time, he appointed Vice President Francia Marquez as the first minister, though she resigned in early 2024 following significant cabinet changes after a failed national broadcast by the government. Since then, Marquez has distanced herself from Petro and openly criticized his leadership.
Regarding her resignation, Marquez stated in an interview that she neither wanted to expose the president to additional controversy by appointing Florian nor wished to continue in that role.
As of now, the future of the Ministry of Equality is uncertain. The Colombian Supreme Court previously ruled that the legislation creating it was unconstitutional, giving lawmakers a year to amend it. A later legislative session resulted in the rejection of a motion to abolish the Ministry, suggesting some degree of bipartisan support for its continuation amid ongoing political strife.
Florian’s exit, confirmed by his absence from a recent ministerial meeting, marks the 58th ministerial change in Petro’s cabinet. His departure coincides with further leadership adjustments, including the exits of other prominent officials.
