Colombia: confession of President Petro's son, accused of money laundering, embarrasses his father

Political earthquake in Colombia, with these very embarrassing confessions for President Gustavo Petro, those of his own son. Accused of money laundering and illicit enrichment, Nicolas Petro Burgos agreed to collaborate with the justice system after six days in detention. According to the prosecutor, he admitted that money from drug trafficking had been used to finance his father's election campaign in 2022.

Nicolas Petro, the eldest son of the Colombian president, is implicated in a money laundering case that splashes his father's campaign for the presidential election (pictured in March 2023 at a public meeting). VIA REUTERS - ASAMBLEA DEL ATLANTICO

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Prosecutor Mario Burgos said yesterday, Thursday, that Nicolas Petro had received large sums of money from Samuel Santander Lopez Sierra, nicknamed Marlboro Man. This drug trafficker, sentenced in the United States to 18 years in prison for drug trafficking, gave the president's son the equivalent of 90,000 euros according to the magistrate.

« Part of this money was poured into his coffers, and another part was invested in the 2022 presidential campaign, during which our current president Mr. Gustavo Petro Urrego was elected."

Last Saturday, Gustavo Petro announced himself the arrest of his eldest son and political heir - and assured that he would not intervene in any way in the judicial process. Nicolas, 37, a former MP on the Caribbean coast of the left-wing Historic Pact coalition, initially denied the charges for which he was in custody. Then he said he was ready to "start a process of collaboration" with the judiciary.

According to the local press, Nicolas Petro has meanwhile become aware of new evidence against him from the prosecutor Burgos, who would have offered him a 50% reduction of the sentence incurred in exchange for his confession. The eldest of the president's six children was previously detained in the prosecutor's office, but he will now be placed under house arrest.

Gustavo Petro denies knowledge of illegal campaign financing

After this new coup de théâtre yesterday, President Petro reacted during a meeting with farmers in the north of the country. "Don't worry... The President of the Republic has never asked any of his children to commit a crime, neither to win, nor to finance campaigns, nor for anything related to power."

Con confianza, con firmeza. Con seguridad. Jamás he conducido a mis hijos al delito. Jamás me favorecería del delito de alguno de ellos. Mi vida politica está en función de la justicia social y la Paz de Colombia pic.twitter.com/lsncaMVM3J

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) August 4, 2023 While he did not formally deny the existence of illegal financing, Gustavo Petro denied being behind it or having been aware of it. "If that had been the case," he added, "I would resign today."

(with agencies)

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