Colombia’s Finance Minister, Ricardo Bonilla, has resigned amidst accusations of corruption, including diverting funds from disaster relief agencies and buying votes within the government. Despite denying the allegations, Bonilla stepped down, becoming the second finance minister to exit President Gustavo Petro’s administration. President Petro, who has faced numerous scandals since taking office in 2022, stood by Bonilla while accepting his resignation, describing him as a committed economist.
Bonilla’s resignation comes amid an ongoing scandal involving hefty contracts for disaster relief efforts, including the purchase of defective water tankers. The former head of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, as well as Bonilla, have been implicated in the scandal. Colombia’s Supreme Court is investigating potential crimes of bribery and illicit enrichment in connection to the case.
President Petro, who has faced his own share of controversies, including election campaign finance violations and allegations of connections to drug trafficking, has largely dismissed accusations of corruption. Petro has suggested that the scandal involving Bonilla is an attempt to undermine his government’s economic policies. Despite ongoing investigations and accusations against individuals within his administration, Petro remains steadfast in his commitment to his presidency and government.
Petro quickly replaced Bonilla with his vice minister of finance, Diego Guevara, and continues to face challenges and probes during his presidency. The resignation of Bonilla is another blow to Petro’s administration as it navigates through various scandals and obstacles in Colombian politics.
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