

The situation Abelardo de la Espriella inherits on August 7th has a clear statistical signature, according to El País: crude oil production is at its lowest level in 16 years – a figure corroborated by Corficolombiana – the ANH signed zero new exploration and production contracts in four years, gas reserves collapsed to the point where Colombia now imports one third of what it consumes, and the sector has posted nine consecutive quarters of declining performance.