Colombia’s President Petro warns of attempts to oust him – Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has warned that a process to oust him is underway, saying “the coup has begun.”

His comment was made on Tuesday, October 8, just minutes after Colombia’s National Electoral Council (CNE) – an entity constitutionally unqualified to investigate the head of state – agreed to launch an investigation and file charges against him , which extends to three members of his campaign, for his alleged responsibility in violating the limits set for the 2022 presidential race.

In addition to the president, the electoral body agreed to investigate his then-campaign manager, Ricardo Roa Barragán; the campaign treasurer, María Lucy Soto Caro; and the accountant, Juan Carlos Lemus Gómez, as well as the parties Colombia Humana and Unión Patriótica.

Ha comezado el golpe de Estado.

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 8, 2024

Last May, investigative magistrates Benjamín Ortiz and Álvaro Hernán Prada – both affiliated with opposition parties – submitted a report citing alleged violations of electoral spending limits, worth more than 5.355 billion pesos (about $1.2 million).

The charges are based on undeclared funds ranging from donations and payments to election witnesses, to the costs of air travel and the rental of venues used for campaign events.

Petro responds and presents his data
Colombia’s head of state denied these accusations, clarifying in detail the origin of the money in question and adding that the CNE included in its case actions that took place before the start of the campaign, such as an erroneous invoice that was later adjusted and a biased calculation of flight hours. The inclusion of these items does not correspond to the procedure established for such cases.

“Only afterwards, and under pressure from an extreme right-wing press, and by the political decision of those groups, did they start a new investigative process with a report aimed at finding loopholes where there were none with a single purpose,” he stated in a post published on September 17 “to carry out a coup d’état,” he stated in a post published on September 17.

The Colombian president called on the people to mobilize as much as possible to prevent the institutional coup.

Many popular organizations have become permanent permanent organizations. The hora of the general movement of the Colombian pueblo is illegal.

Colombia’s constitutional president elegates his voice through the popular order in public affairs, without leading a solo arma…

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 8, 2024

Petro had already publicly denounced that the CNE was trying to deprive him of his immunity because that state entity has no constitutional authority to investigate him. “Allowing the unconstitutional waiver of immunity is intended to initiate a coup,” he had already stated in September.

He added to these accusations that his political opponents, in collaboration with “the mafia,” referring to organized crime and drug cartels, planned to remove him from power within a period of three months through an assassination or an unconstitutional dismissal.

They violate the constitution
Once it was made public that the CNE would investigate Petro, several Colombian officials and political personalities close to the governing coalition quickly questioned this decision.

“The CNE did not investigate (Iván) Duque ñeñepolitica (financing politicians with money from drug trafficking). There was no investigation into (Juan Manuel) Santos for Odebrecht. They are investigating Petro without having the authority to do so,” said former Senator Gustavo Bolívar. “That’s called a coup. We will not allow them to steal with their papers what they have lost in the territories and at the ballot box.”

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Senator Martha Peralta also echoed the president’s words, stating that a “coup d’état” had begun because, according to local law, “the only authorities authorized to investigate the President of the Republic” are the House Impeachment Committee . of Deputies)” and the Senate.

“The CNE’s decision to file charges against President Gustavo Petro sets a precedent that violates the political constitution and endangers the separation of powers,” Senator María José Pizarro warned. “Worse, it triggers an investigation that could lead to a coup. Those of us who defend democracy must reject this decision and be alert to any situation that threatens our popular mandate.”

(Últimas Noticias)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/AU