Colombia’s Next Finance Minister Ocampo Backs Oil, Tax Reform

Colombia’s next finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo gave his backing to oil and gas drilling and tax reform in an interview that seemingly contradicts the pledge of the country’s president-elect to end oil exploration.

“Colombia has to explore more, and look for more gas,” Ocampo, who was appointed last week by President-elect Gustavo Petro, said in an interview with Noticias Caracol. “That is fundamental.”

Ocampo said that while energy self-sufficiency was the goal, there were 180 existing contracts from which the country could extract additional barrels. “We even have to continue exporting oil because if not, the balance ...