Natalia Lopez Set to Become Colombia’s New Labor Minister

President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella continues to round out the team that will take office on August 7 and has announced attorney Natalia Lopez as his future Labor minister.

With this appointment, the incoming president strengthens the presence of leaders close to the We Believe (Creemos, in Spanish) movement within his cabinet and places one of the government’s most challenging portfolios in the hands of a lawyer with public-sector experience. The Labor Ministry will be tasked with addressing unemployment, labor informality, and relations among workers, employers, and the state.

Lopez’s appointment also gives We Believe, the party led by Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez, a new position of influence. Gutierrez was one of De la Espriella’s key political allies during the presidential campaign.

Although We Believe failed to win seats in the Senate in the most recent elections, the party has now secured a significant role in the new national cabinet, further expanding its influence in the incoming administration.

Natalia Lopez set to become Colombia’s new Labor minister

The appointment was announced by De la Espriella on his social media accounts, where he said he would work alongside Natalia Lopez to build a modern, lean, and citizen-focused Labor Ministry.

The president-elect said the incoming minister will be responsible for advancing policies aimed at promoting formal employment, strengthening dialogue between workers and employers, and encouraging entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth.

“Her experience, discipline, and character make her the right person to lead a profound transformation for the benefit of both Colombian workers and those who create jobs,” the president-elect wrote on his social media account when announcing the appointment.

With this announcement, De la Espriella has all but completed the formation of his cabinet just days before taking office. The Labor Ministry is expected to play a key role in the new administration’s economic agenda, which seeks to create a more favorable environment for private investment and job creation, marking a shift in direction from the outgoing government.

Hoy anuncio a Natalia López como ministra de Trabajo de la Patria Milagro.

Natalia es una mujer de provincia, monteriana, auténtica, trabajadora, transparente, esposa y madre. Abogada, docente universitaria, especialista en Derecho Administrativo, magíster en Derecho Público y… pic.twitter.com/WxRJ9ckn6L

— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) July 28, 2026

Natalia Lopez: who is she?

Natalia Lopez is a lawyer by profession and was born in Monteria, the capital of the Cordoba department on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Throughout her career, she has combined experience in the public sector with political involvement, particularly through the We Believe movement, an organization founded by Federico Gutierrez that has become one of the leading political forces in Medellin and the Antioquia department.

Her close ties to the mayor of Medellin have helped her assume leadership roles within the movement and become one of its most prominent figures.

Her academic background includes a law degree and training in public administration, which she has complemented with experience at various government institutions. Before being appointed minister, she worked both for the Cordoba Governor’s Office and at Colombia’s Ministry of Labor, where she gained firsthand knowledge of the institution she is now set to lead.

According to De la Espriella’s announcement, that experience was one of the key factors the president-elect considered when selecting her for the position. Lopez has also taken part in electoral campaigns and ran for elected office with the backing of We Believe.

Although she did not win a seat, she remained active within the political movement, helping develop policy proposals focused on employment, regional development, and state modernization. Beyond politics, Natalia Lopez worked as a university professor for 15 years.

Creemos Expands Its Influence in the New Cabinet

Natalia Lopez’s appointment as labor minister confirms We Believe’ growing influence within the incoming administration. The movement, led by Federico Gutierrez—whose sister, Juliana Gutierrez, has already been named minister of sports—was one of the political allies that backed De la Espriella’s presidential campaign and is now beginning to secure key positions within the national government.

The presence of We Believe leaders in the cabinet reflects the political alliance between the president-elect and the mayor of Medellin, a relationship that strengthened during the campaign and is now translating into direct participation in the executive branch.

Political analysts believe this alliance strengthens Antioquia’s influence in the incoming administration and establishes We Believe as one of the governing coalition’s most important partners, at the expense of the Democratic Center, the largest right-wing party in Congress and another ally of the incoming government.

Despite the country’s current strong unemployment figures, Natalia Lopez will face major challenges as labor minister, including reducing labor informality, creating quality jobs, protecting workers’ rights, and building consensus with the business community.

With this appointment, only the ministries of Science and Health remain vacant. De la Espriella is expected to announce those appointments in the coming days.