The mayor of Santa Marta, Carlos Pinedo, has received multiple accusations after W Radio leaked a series of photographs in which he is seen accompanied by César Gustavo Becerra Gómez, alias Camilo, leader of the Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (Acsn), who was captured in April 2024.
According to the aforementioned media, these images would be from a meeting held in February; However, Pinedo stated that the information was false and that the photographs had been taken in April 2023 when he was collecting signatures to make his candidacy to be mayor of the capital of Magdalena official.
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“I was detained on April 2 in La Tagua by an armed group of six or seven men with rifles. They took my phones and disarmed my escort. I was not clear who the character was, they began to tell us that they wanted to be linked to Total Peace and that that was the message they wanted to send to President Gustavo Petro. The people who held me were recording me,” Pinedo told the radio station.
Despite this, President Gustavo Petro launched himself against the mayor of Santa Marta on his X account, from which he accused him of “embracing” himself with criminal gangs. In the same way, he indicated that while his Government seeks to eliminate criminal groups, there are local leaders who join crime.
“They follow the echo of the old paramilitary model and seek for the gangs to control voters and collect money to convert into votes and illegal campaign financing. Embracing the criminal while the gang commits crimes is an empowerment of crime against citizens. “Was all the racket against the free vote of Samarian citizens for this?” Petro indicated.
Carlos Pinedo’s response was immediate and, through the same social network, the mayor of Santa Marta was blunt with President Petro, telling him that he had been deceived: “Mr. President, @petrogustavo, you have been deceived.” . I find it worrying and regrettable that this situation is being distorted. In 2023, I was the victim of a kidnapping, a serious incident that I immediately reported to the competent authorities.”
In addition to this, Pinedo published what would be the complaint he filed with the Prosecutor’s Office after having been “retained” by the paramilitary group; He stated that any information in this regard could be verified.
“I attach the complaint that I filed with the @FiscaliaCol on April 4, 2023, which clearly demonstrates the veracity of my words and the seriousness of what happened. Any citizen can corroborate the above, since the process is active,” Pinedo pointed out.
In the complaint that Pinedo filed in April 2023, journalist Lina María Peña leaked part of the story given by the mayor of Santa Marta and the request she made to the Prosecutor’s Office at that time.
“In the area I arrived at a place known as ‘Estadero donde Tico’, in order to share closely with the population, listen to their needs, concerns and proposals,” is part of the document.
In this, Pinedo pointed out his bodyguard as a witness who could confirm that his version of events was real, so at that time he took the alleged retention as a way to affect his political campaign. In addition, he requested that guarantees be provided to continue with it.
“I am allowed to exercise my right to choose and be elected within the national territory and I am also provided with the necessary security guarantees,” the document states.
