In short
- Colombian prosecutors have accused former foreign minister Laura Sarabia of abusing her power by ordering police to question her nanny, Marelbys Meza, under a polygraph.
- The scandal erupted in 2023, when the Colombian news weekly Semana reported that Meza had been questioned over a case of cash allegedly missing from Sarabia’s flat, said to amount to several thousands of dollars.
- Sarabia, 32, was chief of staff to President Gustavo Petro at the time and resigned in June 2023; she was later appointed foreign minister and then ambassador to the United Kingdom.
- Sarabia rejected the accusation during a hearing and has denied any wrongdoing.
Colombian prosecutors have accused former foreign minister Laura Sarabia of abusing her power by ordering police to question her nanny, Marelbys Meza, under a polygraph about a case of cash allegedly missing from her flat. Sarabia, 32, who was chief of staff to then-president Gustavo Petro at the time, denies any wrongdoing.
What is Laura Sarabia accused of?
Prosecutors allege that Sarabia improperly used state resources to investigate a matter that was not related to her official post when she ordered police to question Meza over the alleged disappearance of the cash, which was said to amount to several thousands of dollars. The alleged misuse of state resources, rather than the missing money itself, is the basis of the accusation.
The accusation was made at a hearing, where Sarabia rejected it without going into further details.
How did the nanny’s polygraph test become public?
The scandal erupted in 2023, when the Colombian news weekly Semana reported that a woman Sarabia had employed to look after her son had been hooked up to a polygraph and questioned over the alleged disappearance of the money. Meza told Semana that Sarabia’s driver took her to an official building opposite the presidential palace, an experience she described as feeling like “a kidnapping”. Police officers then attached her to the machine and questioned her about the money.
What have Sarabia and Meza said?
Meza denied having stolen any money during the test and has consistently denied any wrongdoing in media interviews since. Sarabia has denied any wrongdoing since the case first emerged, and earlier said in a social media post that her lawyers were dealing with the issue and that she respected the judicial authorities and trusted their decisions.
What posts has Laura Sarabia held?
Sarabia, 32, was one of the closest advisers to Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, who governed from 2022 until August this year. She was his chief of staff when the case emerged and resigned in June 2023. She was later appointed foreign minister and, following her resignation from that post, as Colombia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. Colombia has previously seen political uproar over diplomatic appointments, including the appointment of Daniel Mendoza as ambassador to Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
What is Laura Sarabia accused of?
Colombian prosecutors accuse Laura Sarabia of abusing her position as chief of staff to President Gustavo Petro by ordering police to question her nanny, Marelbys Meza, under a polygraph. Prosecutors say she improperly used state resources to investigate a matter unrelated to her official post.
Who is Marelbys Meza?
Marelbys Meza is the woman Laura Sarabia employed to look after her son. According to the news weekly Semana, she was taken to an official building opposite the presidential palace and questioned under a polygraph about cash allegedly missing from Sarabia’s flat; she has denied any wrongdoing.
Has Laura Sarabia admitted any wrongdoing?
No. Sarabia has denied any wrongdoing, rejected the accusation during a hearing, and said earlier in a social media post that her lawyers were handling the issue and that she respected the judicial authorities.
What government posts has Laura Sarabia held?
Sarabia was chief of staff to President Gustavo Petro and resigned in June 2023. She was later appointed foreign minister and, after leaving that post, as Colombia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Matt Bango / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
