Former Colombian Official Exposes Million-Dollar Bribes Paid to Approve President’s Reforms, Says Gustavo Petro

A former official in Colombia revealed on Friday that he used money from the state National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) to pay bribes to the president of the Senate, Iván Name, and the president of the House of Representatives, Andrés Calle, in order to get social reforms approved in Congress. The complaint was made by Snyder Pinilla, who was the deputy director of UNGRD until March 6. This has caused a stir in the country as it not only implicates the legislative presidents but also affects the government of Colombian president, Gustavo Petro.

Pinilla disclosed in an interview with Semana magazine that he used money from UNGRD to pay Name 3,000 million pesos and Calle 1,000 million pesos to support health, pension, and labor reforms. The money was reportedly given by a contractor who was commissioned by the government to purchase tanker trucks, which turned out to be a failed project due to technical issues with the vehicles.

Pinilla also implicated other government officials in the corruption network, including the former director of UNGRD, the Minister of the Interior, and an advisor for the Regions. The Presidency of Colombia stated in a press release that they have zero tolerance for corruption and have ordered an investigation into the improper use of public resources with the support of the United States Embassy.

Pinilla’s lawyer has stated that he is willing to return the money obtained in the corruption scandal. In response to the allegations, Name denied the accusations and called them untrue. Bolívar, director of the Department of Social Prosperity, has called for the departure of Ortiz from the government pending investigations.

Overall, the revelations have sparked controversy and calls for accountability within the Colombian government. The investigation into the corruption scandal is ongoing, and the country awaits further developments in the case.