Colombian President Gustavo Petro makes announcements about changes in his government at an official event on June 2, 2023. Photo: RCN Radio.
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has removed the ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, and the head of his cabinet, Laura Sarabia, from his government as they are being investigated for alleged wiretapping.
During an official event on Friday, June 2, President Petro announced that while the investigations are ongoing, the two officials will remain out of his government team.
“While the investigation is underway, my dear and esteemed chief of cabinet Laura Sarabia, and the ambassador to Venezuela, are withdrawing from the government,” the Colombian president declared.
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Sarabia and Benedetti are being called upon to appear at the Attorney General’s Office and provide explanations for their actions in the wiretapping case.
“@laurisarabia y el Embajador de Venezuela, @AABenedetti, se retiran del gobierno para que, desde el poder que implica esos cargos, no se pueda tener la desconfianza de que se van a alterar los procesos de investigación”: Presidente @petrogustavo. pic.twitter.com/3U2k3ZjfZA
— Presidencia Colombia 🇨🇴 (@infopresidencia) June 2, 2023
Petro’s announcement comes in the midst of a political scandal involving Sarabia and her son’s former nanny, Marelbys Meza. According to rumors, the nanny’s phone was illegally tapped.
President Petro clarified that no member of the government authorized wiretapping.
“To accuse the government of the illegal phone tapping is irresponsible,” Petro wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday, June 1. “No member of the government has given any order for wiretapping. Tomorrow we will make announcements on the decisions I have made regarding the case.”
Acusar al gobierno del cambio de interceptaciones ilegales es de tamaña irresponsabilidad. Ningún miembro del gobierno ha dado ninguna orden de interceptaciones telefónicas.
Mañana nos pronunciaremos sobre las decisiones que he tomado alrededor del caso del polígrafo
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) June 2, 2023
He also shared statements made by Defense Minister Iván Velásquez, who stated that the government is investigating who gave the order to intercept Meza’s phone calls.
“It has to be discovered who gave the order,” Minister Velásquez announced. “Let the Attorney General’s Office move forward with the investigations that are already underway, but also let the police carry out investigations.”
Phone tapping scandal
Over the last few days a scandal erupted in Colombia in which the Colombian ambassador to Venezuela, Armando Benedetti, has been accused of helping the former head of Petro’s cabinet, Laura Sarabia, intercept the calls of her son’s ex-nanny.
According to the case at the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, Marelbys Meza’s phone number was planted in an investigation against the drug trafficking gang Clan del Golfo, passing her off as a member of the gang.
The former nanny, Marelbys Meza, was accused of stealing money from the Casa de Nariño, the seat of the Colombian presidency. She was also subjected to a polygraph in January, and following that, her phone calls were intercepted.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/KZ/BLA
