Bribery allegations have caused significant controversy and put Gustavo Petro’s government under scrutiny. The accusations were made by Ricardo Díaz, a former army general who served as vice minister of planning and strategy until his resignation in June. In an interview with Semana magazine, Díaz claimed that individuals tied to the Petro administration offered him $179,000 USD to oversee the purchase of three helicopters from Qatar.
Díaz stated that he rejected the offer, which he alleges was initiated by retired army officer Eduardo Mejía, acting on behalf of intermediaries of Armando Benedetti, a disgraced former Petro confidant, and defense contractor firm Force executive Camilo Torres. After refusing the bribe, Díaz claims he reported the incident to Defense Minister Iván Velásquez.
However, Velásquez disputed Díaz’s account during a formal congressional inquiry, stating that no report was ever made. He speculates that Díaz is making false claims out of frustration over being removed from office by Petro. Díaz had mentioned in the interview that his superiors’ attitude toward him changed after the incident, ultimately leading to a request for his resignation along with two other high-ranking military officials.
In response to the allegations, the office of the attorney general and federal prosecutors have opened formal investigations. Meanwhile, Petro has released a statement explaining that Díaz was asked to resign due to reports of mistreatment of staff and dissatisfaction with his actions. The situation remains highly contentious with conflicting narratives and ongoing investigations.
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