Colombia’s First Leftist Leader Faces Investigation Into 2022 Campaign Finances
Election officials in Colombia have initiated an investigation into President Gustavo Petro’s spending during his groundbreaking 2022 campaign. The National Electoral Council (CNE) voted to probe Petro and his campaign manager Ricardo Roa, citing alleged violations of campaign finance limits.
Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, sees the investigation as an attempt to undermine his leadership. The probe could result in fines, but Petro’s impeachment remains unlikely, given his coalition’s majority in the accusation committee.
Accusations of financial mismanagement have plagued Petro’s campaign, with suspicions heightened by his son’s admission of receiving funds from a drug trafficker for campaign events. Despite these challenges, Petro continues to face criticism over unfulfilled promises of social reforms and involvement in scandals like the alleged bribery scheme surrounding water tanker purchases.