Above photo: Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro speaks in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 1, 2024. Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters.
‘The Coup Has Begun.’
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has warned that a process is underway to depose him, stating that “the coup d’état has begun.”
His comment was made this Tuesday, October 8, just minutes after the Colombian National Electoral Council (CNE)—an entity not constitutionally qualified to investigate the head of state—agreed to start an investigation and open a charge sheet against him, which extends to three members of his campaign, due to his alleged responsibility in violating the limits established 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 auditor, Juan Carlos Lemus Gómez, as well as the Colombia Humana and Unión Patriótica parties.
Last May, investigative magistrates Benjamín Ortiz and Álvaro Hernán Prada—both linked to opposition parties—submitted a report in which they referred to alleged violations of electoral spending limits, exceeding 5.355 billion pesos (about $1.2 million).
The allegations are based on undeclared funds, ranging from donations and payments, to electoral witnesses, to the cost of air travel and the rental of venues used for campaign events.
Petro responds and presents his records
The head of state of Colombia denied these accusations, clarified in detail the origin of the money in question, and added that the CNE has included in its case acts prior to the start of the campaign, such as an erroneous invoice that was later amended and a biased calculation of flight hours. Inclusion of these items does not correspond with the procedure established for such cases.
“Only afterwards, and under pressure from some far-right press, and by political decision of those groups, did they begin another investigative process with a report focused on finding loopholes where there were none with one 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 from taking place.
Petro had already openly denounced that the CNE was trying to strip him of his immunity, since that state entity lacks constitutional authority to investigate him. “Allowing the unconstitutional stripping of immunity is for the purpose of initiating a coup d’état,” he had stated back in September.
He added to these accusations that his political adversaries, in collusion with “the mafia,” referring to organized crime and drug trafficking cartels, were plotting to oust him from power within a period of three months by means of an assassination or an unconstitutional dismissal.
They violate the constitution
Once it was made public that the CNE would investigate Petro, various Colombian officials and political personalities close to the government coalition were quick to question the decision.
“The CNE did not investigate [Iván] Duque for ñeñepolítica [financing politicians with drug trafficking money]. It did not investigate [Juan Manuel] Santos for Odebrecht. They are investigating Petro without having the authority,” said former senator Gustavo Bolívar. “That is called a coup d’état. We will not let them steal with their papers what they lost in the territories and at the polls.”
Senator Martha Peralta also echoed the president’s words, stating that a “coup d’état” had begun, because, according to local legislation, “the only authorities competent to investigate” the President of the Republic are “the Accusations Commission of the House [of Representatives]” and the Senate.
“The decision of the CNE to bring charges against President Gustavo Petro establishes a precedent that violates the Political Constitution and puts the separation of powers at risk,” warned Senator María José Pizarro. “Even worse, it gives rise to an investigation that could lead to a coup d’état. Those of us who defend democracy must reject this decision and be alert to any situation that puts our popular mandate at risk.”