Bribes from Grupo Aval and a narco near the marketing campaign

In Colombia, the avalanche of stories is such that there’s typically not sufficient time to digest it and have the ability to perceive it in context, correctly, as a result of one scandal is adopted by one other, whereas violence does its factor completely as a backdrop. This week we transfer between the affirmation of the bribes paid by Grupo Aval within the Odebrecht case and the denunciation of the closeness of a drug trafficker to Gustavo Petro’s marketing campaign.

They’re totally different information, with totally different implications and at totally different occasions of investigation, however I put them collectively on this column as a result of they should do with corruption and the mafias which can be current in some ways in public procurement and politics, and since the justice in Colombia typically raises doubts. The 2 episodes are severe and delicate, though from the alternative shores they attempt to reduce one and amplify the opposite to make use of them as ammunition within the political battle.

It’s value noting first, as a result of there may be already a agency authorized ruling, the case of the Grupo Aval settlement and america justice for the fee of a superb, which was initially declared at 80 million {dollars} and can lastly be 60 for a cross funds. The settlement establishes that Aval, by means of Corficolombiana, paid bribes to maintain contracts for Ruta del Sol 2. The acceptance of those information, which suggests signing the settlement, highlights a giant downside that’s talked about in a low voice: corruption within the personal sector that serves to realize juicy contracts. There’s a lot discuss how officers on the service of the State are corrupted, however with much less vehemence about personal officers who pay bribes to get public cash.

To keep away from misrepresentations, which have been many on this case, I like to recommend studying the whole determination of the North American authority, which in one among its sections states: “As an agent of Grupo Aval, Corficolombiana violated the anti-bribery provisions of the Corrupt Practices Regulation in Overseas (FCPA) and was the reason for Grupo Aval’s violations of the FCPA’s books and information and inner accounting controls provisions.” It must also be emphasised that the felony motion is just not over but and stays considerably suspended and conditional on compliance with a deferred prosecution settlement, as this determine known as in america justice system.

Whereas we’re barely understanding what the information about Grupo Aval and the fee of bribes with its associate Odebrecht means, the grievance made by Ricardo Calderon, an investigative journalist for Snail Information, concerning the assist that Gustavo Petro’s marketing campaign would have given from Juan Carlos Lopez Macias, alias Nephew, a drug trafficker who had already been extradited after which returned to the nation. His spouse Sandra Navarro seems very lively in an occasion that might shut the marketing campaign in Casanare and in addition in paperwork from Colombia Humana, as a part of that political group. Within the occasion that’s recorded there isn’t any presence of the then candidate. Fabio Vargas, who has been a spokesman for the political motion in Casanare, is insistently talked about within the report as being near the drug trafficker and his associate. The investigation exhibits indications of the closeness of a drug trafficker and his spouse with the marketing campaign. It doesn’t show the entry of unlawful cash, but it surely raises legitimate questions on how the occasions that came about within the drug seller’s home have been financed and in the event that they have been reported within the official accounts. Within the report there isn’t any model of the marketing campaign concerning the information.

President Gustavo Petro responded to the grievance with a number of trills on his Twitter account during which he mentioned that the information is fake and requested for rectification. Snail Information He responded to the president and confirmed his complaints. The topic could be very complicated, filled with particulars. In his denial, the president speaks of parts that aren’t included within the journalistic report, with which the whole lot is extra confused. I additionally suggest seeing the complete observe and the assorted trills of the president to attempt to put the puzzle collectively, which is simply starting to be placed on the desk. That is lacking a path.

The reality is that the grievance is delicate, rather more within the midst of the investigation that’s being carried out resulting from what Nicolas Petro has mentioned concerning the entry of illicit cash into the presidential marketing campaign. It should be investigated clearly and rigorously to seek out out if unlawful cash entered and, in that case, what could be the political and ultimately felony tasks.

How we might use at the moment a clear justice during which we might totally belief to have the knowledge of reaching the reality. Within the case of Odebrecht and Grupo Aval, the Colombian courts didn’t see many issues that they did see in america. Within the complaints which can be recognized concerning the financing of President Gustavo Petro’s marketing campaign, justice has a magnifying glass on and acts with shocking pace. It will be important {that a} thorough investigation be carried out and that there be ensures in order that the actions of justice are primarily based on information and proof and never on political motivations. As a society, we’ve got to belief within the establishments, regardless of the sins of those that embody them, and make efforts to seek out efficient instruments in opposition to corruption and to shut the doorways to the mafia’s cash, which has been concerned in politics for many years when it started. He referred to as them “sizzling cash.”