This is Loyalty! Colombian VP Chooses Dog Over Brazil Ambassadorship

Colombian Vice President Angelino Garzon recently turned down an ambassadorship to Brazil, a major trading partner to his country. In a letter to Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos, Garzon politely rejected the post for personal and family reasons, the BBC reports. An interview with Garzon later revealed the true motivation behind Garzon’s decision: the health of his four-legged friend. It turns out that Garzon turned down a prominent international political post in favor of keeping his dog comfortable!

Garzon first expressed public concern over his dog’s well-being in a conversation with Colombian magazine Semana. A reporter for the publication claimed that Garzon’s reasons for turning down the ambassadorship were unconvincing, prompting the vice president to detail his concerns:

“I have turned down the ambassador job because the dog you see on that picture is very hairy and the hot climate of Brasilia could harm its health,” Garzon explained in Spanish. He later added that his pooch is “not government property” and “wherever Angelino goes, it goes.”

Garzon’s concerns are ostensibly valid; his German shepherd’s thick coat is suitable for cool climates, not the heat and humidity of tropical Brazil. Although, as the Dodo wryly points out, an ambassador would probably have access to air conditioning.

Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin has described Garzon’s admission as “very embarrassing,” and says that she is saddened and disappointed by the vice president’s actions.

“When he mentioned personal problems, you would expect something deeper than that,” the foreign minister said. “It is as though he doesn’t realize the importance Brazil has.”

Holguin has issued an apology to Brazil, but worries that the incident will damage Colombia’s international image, as well as its role as a primary commercial partner to Brazil. Activists, meanwhile, hope to see an upswing in the prioritization of Animal rights over political prestige. ¡Salud, Señor Garzon!