In the middle of the corruption scandal that shakes the high spheres of the Colombian Congress, the former Vice President of the Republic, Francisco Santos Calderón, lit the alarms with a blunt statement in his X account.
After the Supreme Court of justice issued order of capture against the former presidents of the Congress, Iván Name and Andrés Calle, Santos questioned the course of justice and demanded answers on another figure that has been involved in several controversies within the Gustavo Petro government.
Now you can follow us in Facebook and in our WhatsApp Channel.
“And when are they going to capture the best of all, Armando Benedetti? Who is stopping this research? The Supreme Court has the word and future of Colombia depends on them”, Wrote the former official, directing directly to the Supreme Court of Justice.
The phrase, shared thousands of times, revived citizen criticisms for the alleged impunity of some political figures and put on the table the question about the progress – or stagnation – of pending investigations against the exembajador and now Minister of the Interior.
According to the Supreme Court, both Iván Name and Andrés Calle would have received bribes that together total 4,000 million pesos. The resources came from contracts for the purchase of 40 tanks to bring water to La Guajira, one of the most vulnerable regions in the country. The imputed crimes are improper and peculated bribery for appropriation in favor of third parties.
In the extensive 183 pages document that supports the assurance measure, the magistrates presented their reasons. On Iván Name, the Court was clear: “which was even recently elected president of the Congress, with the support of all parties, and all these objective facts allow to reaffirm the risk of reiteration of conduct, and in general the risk of danger to the community it represents.”
-In the case of Aguas Street, the analysis was equally severe: “From its position of power in the presidency of the House of Representatives it could have responsibility in acts of social ethical devaluation, appropriating money that were to help the vulnerable population.”
And he added: “In view of their behaviors, the state democratic system could impact negatively, They lead to deduce that freedom could probably incur the same punishable infractions that are endorsed. Under such an understanding, the diagnosis of need for the measure of preventive assurance.”.
Santos’s reference to Armando Benedetti is not accidental. Although an arrest warrant does not weigh on him for this specific case, his name has been repeatedly mentioned in recent investigations and scandals involving alleged irregular financing of campaigns, abuse of power and administrative corruption during his time in Congress and in his role as an ambassador to Venezuela.
For some sectors, the omission of judicial actions against Benedetti represents a double rod of justice. Pressure from public opinion and political voices such as Francisco Santos seek justice not to stop the progress of the investigations that could compromise the former senator.
For now, the recent capture orders are strengthened with the testimonies of the former counselor for the regions, Sandra Ortiz, who delivered to the Supreme Court crucial details on how illegal transactions were created in Congress to favor the Executive in the process of legislative initiatives.
Ortiz would have revealed not only the names, but the internal mechanics for the delivery and reception of illegal resources.
If your responsibility is confirmed, Both Name and Calle could face not only judicial penalties, but also serious political consequences, such as the loss of investiture and, consequently, the application of the figure of “empty chair”a sanction that has already fallen to other congressmen involved in similar cases, such as the former Ciro Ramírez Democratic Center, linked to the “Las Pabuetas 2.0” scandal.
