As was announced during the progress of the investigations into the corruption scandal of the National Risk Management Unit, once again the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, is in the eye of the hurricane due to the accusations of alleged participation in the network that shakes this entity.
YesAlthough it already has the public support of President Gustavo Petro, who described all the complaints as a trap against his government, the statements of María Alejandra Benavides, former advisor to the Minister of Finance, involving Bonilla González are currently being seen as a threat against the projects he leads.
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Benavides assured that the Minister of Finance was aware of everything that was happening in this network of corruption and that on several occasions he would have used the influence of his position to manage contracts, especially three, through which $92,000 million were allocated in the municipalities of Cotorra, Córdoba, Saravena, Arauca and Carmen de Bolívar.
These statements were given in the middle of the hearings against the former Minhacienda official, for the process of purchasing some tank trucks for La Guajira with extra costs, from Risk Management, which is currently in progress. the alleged payment of bribes within Congress, to carry out the Executive’s projects.
Ricardo Bonilla, Minister of Finance and the former liaison of this portfolio with Congress, María Alejandra Benavides.
Private file
stick in the wheel
Although there is still time for the entire process to develop and for the Prosecutor’s Office to disclose all the evidence and those involved in the case; The fact that one of President Gustavo Petro’s bishops is under the scrutiny of the authorities and that he is precisely in charge of managing the country’s finances has raised fears in the economic context.
This, taking into account that Ricardo Bonilla currently leads the formulation of the Budget General of the Nation for 2025 and the processing of the Financing Law, in addition to the meetings in the Public Credit Commission where it seeks to materialize the debt quota that has already been approved to the Government.
In order to better understand the implications of this case on the work of the Ministry of Finance and the projects under its charge, Portafolio consulted three experts in economics and government, who explained that this scandal, in addition to impacting the credibility of the minister, generates uncertainty surrounding the discussion of key projects in Congress.
Firstly, they pointed out that doubts about the minister’s management could hinder the political agreements necessary to approve tax and budget reforms, while the difficulty in coordinating with Congress could aggravate cash problems, already affected by spending restrictions and recent budget cuts.
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In this sense, they noted that the impact of the scandal transcends the borders of the political sphere, adding that the government’s credibility in the financial markets could deteriorate, increasing the cost of financing the country and affecting the flow of investment, given that Bonilla’s presence in The position generates uncertainty and would put macroeconomic stability and investor confidence at risk.
“The scandals that have appeared to the Minister of Finance are serious and they undermine his credibility and his capacity for political action. “I don’t think anything is going to happen, unless there is a firm judicial decision, but what is certain is that the rest of the fiscal situation is still very poorly controlled,” said one of the sources.
Olmedo López, former director of the UNGRD
César Melgarejo / EL TIEMPO
Another point of concern is the operational capacity of the Ministry of Finance to implement fiscal adjustments, given that “the government’s discussions with the markets will be affected by the presence of the minister, which will affect his management and it is time for him to retire from office.” for the good of public finances and the credibility of our economy.”
However, they made it clear that legally for now they are only talking about accusations and not about a formal process against Ricardo Bonilla, so they asked to give time for the process to take its course and to have greater clarity regarding whether it will be required or not and what their role will be in the investigations for the Risk Management case.
That said, they emphasized that the outcome will be key to defining the course of economic policies in a crucial year for the government’s management and that as long as there is no substantive decision, it is best to wait.
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Commitment to finances
In the midst of this case, it must be said that the Minister of Finance He has already spoken out and made it clear that he respects the work of the Prosecutor’s Office, at a time that he described as “a hard ordeal,” and warned that he will prove his innocence, while sending a message of tranquility regarding the Nation’s resources.
“Although it is a difficult personal ordeal and a difficult and complex legal path, I aspire, with legal instruments, to convince the justice system of my country that I can eventually make mistakes, but not crimes,” he indicated.
Likewise, Bonilla González asserted that “I have never shied away from giving explanations for my actions and I will face the responsibilities that circumstances determine before society and before my natural judges with dignity and decorum.”
This official recalled that his greatest commitment is to the fiscal stability of the country and recalled that President Petro has “my commitment to the head of public finances and they will be exposed at no time by these vicissitudes.”
Colombian pesos
For his part, President Gustavo Petro referred to the case through on his social networks and assured that Bonilla’s work has been key in “difficult times for public finances, due to the attempted fiscal drowning constructed by the opposition.”
The Head of State highlighted that the Minhacienda is the victim of “another trap: the one that is built between the neoliberal concept of the fiscal framework and the extortionate attitude of members of parliament who ask for indicative quotas in exchange for approving credits that are not intended for investment. public neither of the rich nor of the poor, but simply to pay Duque’s debts, going into debt again, that is, with ‘roll over’ operations.
With all this on the table, now the market’s attention will focus on what will happen to this official, head of public finance management, and the requirements that may be made to him from the Prosecutor’s Office and whether his political capital will be enough to carry out the initiatives of the Government under his charge.
