How Will Leadership Changes Affect Colombia's Oil Sector?

This month, Colombia gained a new energy minister, economist Mauricio Cardenas, but lostlong time National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) head, Armando Zamora, amid allegations thatoil royalties had been misused and scholarships had been unfairly given to relatives of topofficials. Zamora has denied wrongdoing, and suggested social protests posed a bigger threat tothe sector than corruption. Meanwhile, protests last week forced Canada's Pacific Rubiales, oneof the largest oil producers in Colombia, to declare force majeure before coming to an agreementwith demonstrators. What will the changes at the top of the energy ministry and ANH mean forColombia's oil sector? What accounts for the rise in social protests and do they pose a significantthreat to the industry? Does the country have an effective strategy to handle them?