Bogotá, March 2. Colombian President Gustavo Petro asked the prosecutor’s office this Thursday to investigate his brother and eldest son for alleged meetings in prisons where, according to some versions, they pretended to be members of the government to give benefits in exchange of information.
According to Petro, upon reaching the presidency, he made a “commitment to Colombian men and women” and must be “faithful to the vote” cast. For this reason, and according to the “information circulating in public opinion”, he asked the Attorney General “to carry out all the necessary investigations and to determine the possible responsibilities” concerning his brother Juan Fernando Petro and his son Nicolás Petro.
In recent months, news has surfaced of a supposed “lawyer cartel” that allegedly enters prisons to grant benefits to drug traffickers or even demand money from them in exchange for being included in the ” total peace” from the government.
“A few unethical lawyers have attempted to deceive people deprived of their liberty and their families, charging money in exchange for promises ranging from supposed postings to peace agencies, prison transfers and even suspension of extradition processes,” the Office said. of the High Commissioner for Peace when the case became known.
“My government will not give benefits to criminals in return for bribes. On the contrary, we are in the process of building legal mechanisms for these outlaw groups to seek refuge in justice,” Petro said today. today in a press release.
The president recalled that “the only official who has government approval to have contacts with outlaw organizations for the sole purpose of seeking peace is the high commissioner for peace, Danilo Rueda”.
And for this reason, “anyone who wants to interfere in this purpose (to make peace), or to take advantage of it personally, has no place in the Government, even if he is a member of my family”, estimated the president.
However, he said his brother and son “could prove his innocence”, but added that he would respect “the conclusions reached by justice”.
Petro’s brother testified last February before the prosecutor’s office precisely because of the complaints around this “cartel of lawyers” to claim to be a victim in this case, in which he assured that his name had been used to “other purposes as the exercise he was developing ” According to his defense. EFE
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