Armando Benedettiprotagonist of several political scandals, confirmed this Monday that he is leaving the Colombian embassy to the FAO in Rome, and is returning to the Government to occupy a position as political advisor to President Gustavo Petro.
“I have just resigned from the President of the Republic to take on some functions as his direct advisor.“said Benedetti this Monday after meeting with the head of state and Laura Sarabia, the director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (Dapre)in Nariño’s house.
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The controversial politician was one of Petro’s greatest supporters for the 2022 elections to reach the Presidency. He was its first ambassador in Venezuelaa position he left in the midst of an illegal wiretapping scandal and even threatened to reveal alleged irregularities in the current president’s campaign.
Benedetti explained this Monday that he will begin his duties this Tuesday and that his office will be next to those of President Petro and Sarabia, with whom he has had strong friction.
Armando Benedetti.
EL TIEMPO Archive
“I arrived as political advisor to the President of the Republic due to the friendship and closeness I have with him.“, he stressed in statements to journalists, and indicated that, among his functions – which he does not know if he will perform as a contractor or as a public employee – will be that of strengthen relations with Congress.
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“A little more experience in dealing with Congress is needed, it is not just ‘politics’ or ‘jam’ as has sometimes been foolishly said.“said Benedetti.
He also clarified that before returning to the country He spent 35 days in a rehabilitation center to treat his drug and alcohol addiction and stressed that it was a “family decision“to achieve his rehabilitation.
Laura Sarabia
Presidency
To which he added: “It is also a rehabilitation with Laura Sarabia“, with whom she had a verbal confrontation when she was Petro’s chief of staff and both were involved in an illegal eavesdropping scandal.
In his resignation letter, Benedetti took stock of his management as a diplomat at the FAO, where he arrived after the Government reopened that mission that had been closed since 1999, and assured that together with Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru“we were able to establish a fundamental principle in the discussions related to the Amazon“.
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“We achieve that any issue, project, policy or decision that directly or indirectly involves this region of global strategic and ecological importance, must be discussed and approved in consultation with the Amazonian countries.“he added in his letter.
Benedetti also starred in a sexist violence scandal last Julyafter his wife, Adelina Guerrero, reported him for physical attacks during a trip to Madrid, Spain, which led the Foreign Ministry to announce the opening of a disciplinary process against him.
EFE
