BOGOTA — The Colombian Foreign Minister on Wednesday complained to Joe Biden’s government for naming President Gustavo’s eldest son and brother Petro —both investigated by the Colombian prosecutor’s office— in a corruption section of its annual report on human rights.
The document from the United States Department of State, available since Monday, names the president’s relatives in its section on “corruption in the government” and indicates that the prosecutor’s office opened investigations against both “for allegedly accepting irregular payments, some of which which allegedly financed Petro’s 2022 campaign.”
“Judgment stage”
Nicolás Petro Burgos, eldest son of the president, faces an investigation about to enter the trial stage for the alleged crimes of illicit enrichment and money laundering. Meanwhile, the president’s brother, Juan Fernando Petro, faces an investigation for possible improper offers to prisoners.
The day before, the Colombian government issued a diplomatic note of protest to the United States government over the statements of Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the State Department, who said that the report includes several human rights violations contributed by non-profit organizations, embassies and civil society that are considered “credible”.
At the State Department’s daily press conference on Wednesday, Patel said there should be “no confusion” with his statements and that the report reflects a public investigation being carried out by the Colombian prosecutor’s office. However, he assured that the inclusion in the report of any entry does not denote “any type of investigation or evaluation” by the US government.
Murillo, for his part, indicated that the diplomatic note of protest does not imply a “diplomatic clash” between the two countries that continue to be “strategic allies” in the region. However, he indicated that it was “undue interference.”
“We are not referring to these internal issues of the United States. We have never talked about the investigations that occur in the United States of children of presidents, former presidents or campaigns. No, because it is undue interference,” stressed the diplomat.
The investigation against Petro’s son began after complaints from his ex-wife, who stated that she would have received money for her father’s presidential campaign, but would have kept those resources. The prosecution has accused him of illegally increasing his assets.
Source: AP
