“The coup has begun”: Petro responds as CNE opens probe into 2022 campaign financing

0
2342
Candidate Gustavo Petro votes in Bogotá/Colombia Humana.

Colombia’s National Election Council (CNE) has formally launched an investigation into President Gustavo Petro and his former campaign manager, Ricardo Roa, over alleged violations of electoral spending limits during Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign, the council announced on Tuesday.

The investigation focuses on accusations that Petro’s campaign exceeded spending limits by more than COP$5.3 billion (US$1.3 million) during the first and second rounds of voting. The CNE’s decision followed a majority vote, with seven out of nine magistrates supporting the formal inquiry.

Alleged violations include unreported campaign contributions and expenses related to electoral oversight and propaganda. Among the entities linked to these unreported donations is the National Federation of Educators (Fecode), which reportedly contributed COP$500 million. Additional concerns have been raised over a COP$500 million donation from the Polo Democrático party and other unaccounted-for expenses, such as payments for electoral witnesses and campaign propaganda.

Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, reacted to the CNE’s decision on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, stating, “The coup d’état has begun.” However, the CNE’s investigation is administrative in nature and cannot result in Petro’s removal from office. Under Colombian law, only Congress has the authority to remove a sitting president. The findings of the investigation will, however, be referred to the Congressional Accusations Committee.

Roa, currently president of state-owned oil company Ecopetrol, is also under investigation for his role as the campaign’s finance director. Other individuals implicated include treasurer Lucy Mogollón and auditors María Lucy Soto and Juan Carlos Lemus.

The investigation will move forward with evidence collection and hearings to determine if electoral finance laws were breached. The CNE’s decision adds to the growing scrutiny of Petro’s administration, which has already faced criticism over governance issues and the president’s controversial peace initiatives.

Of the nine CNE magistrates, two – both aligned with Petro’s Pacto Histórico coalition – voted against the investigation. The seven magistrates who voted in favor represent the political parties Centro Democrático, Partido Liberal, and Cambio Radical.

This case is likely to exacerbate political tensions in Colombia, as Petro continues to assert that any investigation implicating him, whether as president or candidate, is part of a broader “coup” attempt, and narrative that further strains the country’s democratic institutions.