The Attorney General of Colombia, Luz Adriana Camargo, confirmed this Friday that they have opened a formal investigation against the newly appointed director of the Special Assets Society (SAE, which manages assets seized from drug trafficking and crime), Diego Cancino, for “violent sexual act” after a complaint of sexual harassment against him became known.
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“We have already defined the methodological program, some diligence has already been received, some interviews, some telephone media, chats were inspected… we are working on the issue”the prosecutor explained to the media.
The Prosecutor’s Office will investigate the facts after an advisor to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Vivana Vargas, denounced Cancino, who was Vice Minister of the Interior, for touching him and attempting to assault him, when he went to ask for a job and the former Bogotá councilor invited him to his home for lunch.
At home, Cancino hugged her and touched her breasts on several occasions, without the young woman’s consent. 31 years old, and even tried to kiss her, despite Vargas’ denial, according to what the young woman told Cambio Magazine.
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Diego Cancino, director of the SAE.
Private file
Days later, the appointed president of the SAE was calling her and trying to contact her by phone, while she explained that she had felt uncomfortable with his behavior and pointed out that she only wanted a working relationship with the politician.
This same week, the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, appointed Cancino, who until now was number two in the Ministry of the Interior, as head of the SAE, and since Cambio Magazine revealed the case last Sunday, the head of state has kept silence.
Cancino defended himself in a letter last Sunday in which he expressed his “regret” for “any conduct” that “could have been offensive” to Vargas.
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“I am absolutely convinced that at no time did I incur any form of sexual harassment in the context of a meeting between former colleagues – since I had left the Ministry of the Interior more than a month ago – and in which we were accompanied by people whom I Viviana invited as her friends,” said the former councilor.
EFE
