Nicolas Petro, son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, was arrested as part of a money laundering and illicit enrichment probe.
The younger Petro faces accusations “that he took money from drug traffickers in exchange for including them in his father’s peace efforts to end civil strife,” Reuters reports.
Daysuris del Carmen Vasquez, Nicolas Petro’s ex-wife, was also arrested on money laundering and personal data violation accusations.
Is the US next?
‼️ COLOMBIA – The son of the President of Colombia and his wife were arrested for embezzlement and money laundering, yesterday in Bogotá the day before. pic.twitter.com/6cBo2fnjsE
— {Matt} $XRPatriot (@matttttt187) July 31, 2023
Reuters reports:
Also arrested on money laundering and personal data violation accusations was Nicolas’ ex-wife Daysuris del Carmen Vasquez, who earlier this year told local media two people accused of involvement with drug trafficking had given Nicolas money for his father’s campaign.
The president’s son was taken on a plane to the attorney general’s office headquarters in capital Bogota from the city of Barranquilla, according to sources from the police and the prosecutor’s office.
Colombian media showed videos of both being escorted to a government plane by security agents in armored vehicles and motorcycles.
Petro said on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that it was painful for one of his children to be jailed, but that the attorney general’s office had all guarantees to proceed according to the law.
Colombian police arrested the president's son Saturday as part of a high-profile money laundering probe into funds he allegedly collected from convicted drug traffickers during last year’s presidential campaign. https://t.co/pntKhZKrs3
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 29, 2023
The Washington Times added:
President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel who rose through Colombia’s political ranks as an anti-corruption crusader, said he wouldn’t interfere with the investigation.
“As an individual and father, it pains me to see so much self destruction and one of my sons going to jail,” Petro said in an early morning message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “As president of the republic, I’ve assured the chief prosecutor’s office that it will have all of the guarantees so it can proceed according to the law.”
The arrest of Nicolas Petro is a major blow to the government, which has been buffeted by conservative attacks from day one at the same time it has struggled to maintain bipartisan support for Colombia in the U.S., a longtime ally in the war on drugs and fight against illegal armed groups.
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