Scandal shakes Colombia's Petro government: accusations of illicit financing, ties to Nicolás Maduro

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is facing a serious crisis in his government after threats to reveal secrets of his presidential campaign by his former ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti. Reports indicate that the new revelations imply alleged financing from the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela, generating a stir in the country.

The scandal began with complaints of wiretapping and alleged abuse of power against a babysitter accused of robbery, in which Laura Sarabia, former chief of staff and Petro's right-hand woman, was involved. Armando Benedetti was also identified as the instigator of these complaints and both officials were dismissed by the president.

However, Benedetti's revelations have taken the crisis to a higher level. In audio messages revealed by Semana magazine, a shocking figure of 15,000 million Colombian pesos (approximately 3.5 million USD) was mentioned, which allegedly financed Petro's campaign and were not officially reported.

According to local media, Benedetti is suspected of obtaining this money from the Venezuelan regime through the Clan Torres, an influential political and business force on the Colombian coast.

Some reports have suggested Benedetti met with DEA agents in Miami to inform them about the financing received by the Historic Pact from Caracas.

These accusations have generated a great stir in Colombian politics, and various politicians from different sectors have demanded explanations from Gustavo Petro. The president denies having received money from drug trafficking and affirms that his campaign was financed mainly through commercial bank loans.

The revelations could also be related to another scandal involving Petro's son, also named Nicolás Petro.

His ex-wife, Day Vásquez, has reported him to the Prosecutor's Office for allegedly receiving large sums of money from drug traffickers to finance Gustavo Petro's campaign in the first round. The Prosecutor's Office is investigating Nicolás for alleged money laundering.

The House of Representatives suspended discussion of the criticized health and labor reforms promoted by the Petro government due to the scandal.

Former conservative challenger, Federico "Fico" Gutiérrez, called for Petro's resignation and filed a formal complaint against him, addressing allegations of illicit financing and alleged ties to the Nicolás Maduro regime.

Petro and his circle claim that these accusations are part of a campaign against him and insist that they have not committed any illegal acts. However, questions about the origin of his campaign financing and accusations of links to drug trafficking remain without clear answers.

Armando Benedetti has denounced threats received after the leak of the audios and is currently in Turkey, raising doubts about whether he will return to Colombia.

Meanwhile, Petro has avoided clearly responding to the accusations made by his former ambassador to Venezuela and has tried to divert attention by calling marches in favor of his social reforms, which are stalled in Congress due to criticism from some sectors, especially in the field of health.

In addition, he has intensified his attacks on press freedom, seeking to discredit journalists and media outlets that do not align with his vision.