An investigation by the National Electoral Council (CNE) concludes that The electoral campaign that brought Gustavo Petro to the Presidency of Colombia in 2022 violated spending limits established by law and resorted to prohibited sources of financing.
According to the information revealed this Monday, September 2, by journalist Daniel Coronell in the W Radio, The investigation carried out by the CNE, led by the magistrate of the Liberal Party Benjamín Ortiz and by Álvaro Hernán, of the Democratic Center, concluded that Petro’s campaign exceeded the limits by more than 5.3 billion pesos (1.14 million euros) and received contributions from legal entities, something prohibited by electoral law.
During the first round, there was supposedly an overrun of 3.7 billion pesos (almost 800,000 euros) and there were seven violations, including that a contribution of 500 million pesos (108,000 euros) from the main education union, Fecode, would have been omitted to be reported. and another of the same amount from the Democratic Pole party that is part of the governing coalition.
Among the irregularities appears Xavier Vendrell, a Catalan politician and businessman investigated for what happened during the ‘procés’ and close to Petro, specifically for not having reported the payment to electoral witnesses during the campaign.
(See: ‘Printing money’: Petro’s proposal revives controversy).
Vendrell, who was ‘conseller’ of Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), collaborated in Petro’s campaign, who gave him Colombian nationality, as head of electoral witnesses and campaign strategist.
The Catalan businessman has been accused of continuing to be linked to Petro’s government, a fact that the president has denied, claiming that there are no current contracts with the former Catalan politician.
During the second round of elections, according to the CNE, Petro’s campaign would have also exceeded the limits by 1.6 billion pesos (345,000aurochs) and five rapes were reportedly committed.
(See: Why the Ministry of Finance supports the printing of banknotes that Petro proposed again).
Among the violations, in addition to the fact that payments to electoral witnesses managed by Vendrell were not reported, the total cost of the rental of the Movistar Arena, which was used by Petro to celebrate the results of the second round of elections and which had a value of 250 million pesos (54,000 euros), with only 150 million (32,400 euros) being reported.
Gustavo Petro on campaign.
As reported by the W Radio from the CNE investigation, which has not yet been published, there would also be lack of reports on private flights of the now president during the campaign to attend electoral events.
The CNE is the competent body to investigate parties, campaign managers and candidates, but the president has immunity, so the exclusive authority to investigate Petro criminally and disciplinarily lies with him. the House Committee on Investigation and Impeachment, which has one open on this matter.
(See: Petro, Uribe and other political figures who reacted to the death of Rodolfo Hernández).
However, the CNE claims that it can investigate both the campaign and the president in the administrative field, as it already did with the campaign of former presidents Iván Duque and Juan Manuel Santos, and thereby impose fines or refunds.
EFE
