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.
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.
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.
International
Colombian president Gustavo Petro warns against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela
Colombian President Gustavo Petro defended his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro after the U.S. administration labeled him as the leader of the “Cartel of the Suns” and authorized the Pentagon to use military force against drug cartels, which could lead to an intervention on Venezuelan soil to combat these criminal groups. Petro stated that any military operation without the approval of Colombia or Venezuela would represent an “aggression.”
Petro responded over the weekend following reports on Friday from U.S. media about President Donald Trump’s order to confront designated global terrorist organizations such as the Cartel of the Suns, the Sinaloa Cartel, and the Tren de Aragua, including operations on foreign soil. Furthermore, the U.S. State Department increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture from $25 million to $50 million.
“I publicly convey my order given as commander of the Colombian armed forces. Colombia and Venezuela are one people, one flag, one history. Any military operation without the approval of the brother countries is an aggression against Latin America and the Caribbean. It is fundamentally contradictory to our principle of freedom. ‘Freedom or death,’ Bolívar shouted, and the people revolted,” Petro posted on his social media, clearly expressing his disagreement with potential U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview on The World Over program on Friday that controlling these terrorist groups is decisive. He added that, for the U.S., these gangs are no longer just local street gangs but well-organized criminal enterprises spreading from Mexico, Guatemala, and Ecuador.
“We cannot continue treating these guys as local street gangs. They have weapons like terrorists, in some cases they have armies. They control territories in many cases. These cartels extend from Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, which is not a legitimate government,” Rubio told the audience.
International
U.S. offers $5 million reward for arrest of haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier
The United States announced on Tuesday a $5 million reward for the arrest of Haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier, accused of violating U.S. sanctions. Haiti, the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, is engulfed in a political crisis and a wave of armed gang violence, which an international security mission led by Kenya is trying to end.
Cherizier, 48, and Bazile Richardson have been formally charged with attempting to transfer funds from the United States to Haiti to finance gang activities, the Department of Justice reported.
“There is a good reason to offer a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest,” said federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro at a press conference.
“He is a gang leader responsible for atrocious human rights violations, including violence against U.S. citizens in Haiti,” she added.
Cherizier has been subject to U.S. Treasury sanctions since 2020 and UN sanctions since 2022.
International
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet Guatemalan leader Bernardo Arévalo next friday
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Monday that she will hold her first bilateral meeting with her Guatemalan counterpart, Bernardo Arévalo, next Friday.
During her press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum detailed that the August 15 meeting will include a brief visit to Guatemala, followed by a trilateral meeting with Belize’s Prime Minister, Juan Antonio Briceño, in Calakmul, Campeche, in southeastern Mexico.
Sheinbaum explained that the meeting was proposed by Arévalo during a phone call last Friday, in which the Guatemalan president invited her to visit Guatemala.
The agenda will begin on Thursday night when Sheinbaum travels to Chetumal to lead her morning press conference on Friday.
Afterwards, she will travel to Guatemala for the bilateral meeting with Arévalo, then return to Calakmul to meet Belize’s Prime Minister Briceño for a trilateral meeting with Arévalo.
Later, Sheinbaum will hold a bilateral meeting with the Belizean leader.
The president announced that many agreements will be announced during the meetings with the southern border countries but avoided providing details to keep them as a surprise for that day.
Colombian president Gustavo Petro warns against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela
U.S. offers $5 million reward for arrest of haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier
Honduras condemns U.S. reward against Nicolás Maduro as baseless attacks
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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