International

The protagonists of the Colombian Government’s Risk Unit scandal

Two senior officials of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) have been formally accused today for a large case of corruption in which other members of the Government close to the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, congressmen and politicians from different parties could be involved.

For the moment, the Prosecutor’s Office has accused the former director of the UNGRD Olmedo López and the deputy director for Disaster Management of the same entity Sneyder Pinilla for the crimes of conspiracy to commit aggravated crime, embezzled for aggravated appropriation, undue interest in the conclusion of contracts, ideological falsehood in a public document and falsehood in a private document.

It all began in February when the embezzlement of 46.8 billion pesos (about 11.7 million dollars) was uncovered in the purchase by the UNGRD of 40 tanker trucks to bring drinking water to desert areas of the department of La Guajira.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, López was left with 724 million pesos (about 179,700 dollars) and Pinilla with 342 million pesos (about 85,000 dollars).

The case has been adding the names of other possible ones linked to irregular contracts and the distribution of money between politicians, events that occurred in 2023.

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1. Olmedo López

Militant of the left-wing Party Alternative Democratic Pole. In the 2010 elections he was campaign director of Petro, who in April last year appointed him director of the UNGRD, a position he held until February 2024 when he resigned due to this case of corruption, since it was during his administration that the contract for the purchase of the tankers was signed.

Last Saturday, in the installation speech of the new session of Congress, Petro apologized for the corruption in the UNGRD and for having appointed López to head that entity.

2. Sneyder Pinilla
He was deputy director of the UNGRD under the direction of López and is alleged to be the one who allegedly delivered money to congressmen and members of the Government for the contracts. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he received 1% of the budget of 100 billion pesos (24.7 million dollars) that were allocated for the purchase of the tankers.

3. Luis Eduardo López Rosero

He is the third accused by the Prosecutor’s Office for being a contractor of the carts and, according to the accusation, having received 13% of the tender. He went from being a small merchant to entering the wheel of large state contracts through three companies in his name with which he has achieved, with the UNGRD alone, more than 155 contracts totaling 160 billion pesos (about 39.6 million dollars) between 2012 and 2024, according to Noticias Caracol.

4. Sandra Ortiz

After being a congressman for several terms with the Green Party, Ortiz was appointed by Petro in May 2023 as Presidential Counselor for the Regions. It has been pointed out – but there is still no judicial accusation – of being the link between Pinilla and the then president of Congress, Iván Name, to deliver the bribes, a complaint that she rejects.

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5. Ivan Name

Member of the Green Party, he was president of the Senate in the previous legislature (2023-2024). According to the allegations, part of the money embezzled in the purchase of tankers was used to pay bribes to Name and other congressmen in exchange for support in Congress for the reforms of the Petro Government. Name has rejected these accusations and has not yet received an accusation.

6. Andrés Calle

Lawyer and member of the Liberal Party, he was president of the House of Representatives in the 2023-2024 legislature. As Name, it is pointed out – but not formally accused – of having received bribes, in three days and in banknotes in briefcases, in exchange for support in Congress to promote and approve the Social Reforms of the Government. Calle has also rejected the accusations.

7. Carlos Ramón González

It is the last known name in the case. He was Petro’s right-hand man as director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre) and is currently the head of the National Intelligence Directorate. During the hearing of accusations, the Prosecutor’s Office said that Ortiz had González’s orders, as his direct boss as director of the Dapre, to allegedly deliver the coimas. He still received a formal accusation.

8. Ricardo Bonilla

The Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, received accusations as the person who authorized the disbursement of the UNGRD budget and it was also, according to a Pinilla chat published by Noticias Caracol, who coordinated the award of three contracts for 92 billion pesos (about 23 million dollars) to benefit six congressmen in exchange for supporting the expansion of the Government’s debt quota.

Bonilla said today that she respects the work of the Prosecutor’s Office and that she is calm, waiting for her “opportunity before justice” to defend herself.

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International

Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.

NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.

Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”

An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.

“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.

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“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.

The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”

At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”

International

Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.

The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.

An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.

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Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.

Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.

Internacionales

Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.

In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.

Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.