The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, spoke about the reasons behind the extensive media coverage of the corruption scandal that has engulfed government officials due to alleged irregularities in the purchase of 40 tank trucks for the department of La Guajira and the alleged bribes to congressmen to accelerate social reforms.
“Rivers of ink seeking to destroy the presidential figure to stop the reforms that benefit the people in Congress and the Government of change,” the president wrote in his X account.
The leader of the Historical Pact commented in his interaction on the clarification made by the legal team of Olmedo López, former director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), accused of participating in the corruption network. According to his version, the president would have no relation to the irregular events.
Corruption to stop reforms
In his most recent digital publication, Petro also refers to the voices of some sectors of the opposition that ask that the discussion of the pension reform be paralyzed until it is investigated whether the money allocated to the UNGRD was used or not to bribe the presidents of the Senate, Iván Name, and of the House of Representatives, Andrés Calle, with the aim of supporting the health reform, which was shelved this legislative period.
The day before, Petro also defended himself against the accusations against him and expressed that his administration has not allocated funds for the purchase of congressmen. Likewise, she spoke of the postponement of the discussion of the pension reform as a decisive factor in overthrowing it.
“Are they using a corrupt person to overthrow the reforms?” he asked.
While this case continues to generate more publications and speculation in the media, three former government officials have resigned from their positions, of which two of them, López and Sneyder Pinilla, former director of the UNRGD, are being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, as announced by the prosecuting body last Monday.
Since last February 2, the Attorney General’s Office has been conducting an investigation into possible acts of corruption in the National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management (UNGRD).
— Colombian Prosecutor’s Office (@FiscaliaCol) May 7, 2024
According to Pinilla himself, a total of 15 congressmen would be involved in the corruption plot, as well as other members of the Cabinet. With RT