Languaraz, explosive, investigated for corruption and denounced for gender violence, Benedetti was key in Petro’s rise to power.
President Gustavo Petro and Armando Benedetti, in the background.
An ancient right alfil is the apple of the discord of the first leftist government from Colombia and protagonist of a crisis with soap opera dyes: Armando Benedetti, the controversial figure that President Gustavo Petro Defend to ultranza.
Languaraz, explosive, investigated for corruption and denounced for gender violenceBenedetti (57 years) was key in Petro’s rise to power. But his presence in the cabinet since last week unleashes a crisis between the president and a good part of his ministers and senior officials.
These its main moments with the Petro government.
Did you violate the campaign limits?
As a congressman, Benedetti supported former president Álvaro Uribe, maximum head of the Colombian right, already his successor Juan Manuel Santos.
More in: Susana Muhamad has no doubts: Benedetti’s presence in the Petro government is a risk
In 2022, Petro appointed him manager of his campaign as part of a strategy to get to power backed by traditional policy sectors.
After the investiture of the leftist, Benedetti was appointed ambassador to Venezuela.
But in a Dramatic turn became an uncomfortable man for the governmentbecause the CNE electoral authority included it in an investigation for alleged violations of the limits of expenses in the career to the presidency.
In those days The press leaked some of its telephone conversations with Petro’s right command, Laura Sarabiain which he insulted her and assured her that if she told the truth “all” they were going to prison.
“Now I am threatening you children (daughter of a bitch). You and the president,” was one of the phrases he issued.
He never met what he meant in the call.
The CNE investigation into the accounting books of the campaign is ongoing and could have an impact on a political trial if you arrive at Congress. Petro says that it is an attempt to “coup d’etat”.
An abuser?
Benedetti left Caracas and months later he was appointed as Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) In Rome.
Of interest: Colombia goes back in the perception of corruption in 2024
In July 2024 Spanish media revealed that his wife, Adelina Guerrero, denounced it in that country for allegedly taking a knife and threaten her to harm her.
Despite the strong questions, he remained in the government.
While holding the position before the FAO, he revealed what was an open secret: that He was addicted to cocaine and had undergone detoxification treatment.
He First Chancellor of Petro, Álvaro Leyva, He had already branded him as “drug addict” and his replacement, Luis Gilberto Murillo, opened a disciplinary process for the alleged aggression to his partner.
All against Benedetti?
After months of silence and distancing, Benedetti appeared on February 3 as in the old days, sitting next to Petro and in a Council of Ministers and Directors of the main State agencies.
The meeting was broadcast live and became a kind of “reality” For the official channels. In prolonged disasons, the president spoke of second opportunities and presented the former ambassador as head of the dispatch while reprimanding his officials for breaching the goals of the government.
It may interest you: “It is not healthy to combine electoral aspirations and public administration”: Petro after asking for the resignation of his ministers
The Vice President, France Márquez, was the first to respond and attack Benedetti and Sarabia, recently chosen as Chancellor:
“I do not share (…) your decision to bring these people to this government,” he said obviously annoyed.
Then the Minister of Environment, Susana Muhamad: “As a feminist and as a woman I can not sit at this table” with Armando Benedetti, he said in a broken voice.
Three of the most Faithful Petro servers supported them while the government It crumbled live on social networks and television.
Petro disrupted those claims and He gave Benedetti a support when comparing it to Jaime Bateman, His ideological lighthouse and founder of the M-19 guerrillas, to which the president belonged in his youth.
“It has a kind of virtue, which is to be crazy“The president said while Benedetti laughed.
“Dad Smurf” New scandal?
On Sunday, the president requested the resignation of his entire cabinet.
Between the platoon that Chocó against Benedetti was Augusto Rodríguez, former Petro’s partner in the M-19.
At the meeting he had information from a meeting During the former Diplomatic campaign with alias Dad Smur the largest smuggler in the country.
A new bomb exploded after that revelation. Petro himself acknowledged that the trafficker delivered money to the Catalan political strategist Xavier Vendrell, But he gave him the order to return it when he found out.
This is a chapter that barely begins.
