Colombia: This is how the process of Nicolás Petro, son of the president, is going

The story begins earlier this year, when Day Vásquez, the ex-partner of the president's son, denounced in an interview with Semana that drug trafficker Samuel Santander had given money to Nicolás Petro for his father's campaign . According to her, this money had never reached the campaign, since Nicolás had kept it. Vásquez had been a partner of Nicolás Petro until late last year and had been close to the president's family. At least that's how their relationship was read after she appeared in the possession photo on August 7, 2022 as the wife of the president's eldest son. After this scandal, President Petro tried to distance himself from his son and asked the courts to carry out the necessary investigations in an attempt to be transparent with his constituents.

Last Saturday Nicolás Petro was arrested by the Prosecutor's Office .

Who is Nicolas Petro?

He is the eldest of the sons of President Gustavo Petro. In addition, he has been a candidate for the governorship of Atlántico and was currently a deputy of the Assembly of the Department of Atlántico. He is, the president said in an interview in March (after the scandal) for Cambio Magazine, the only one of his children who has or has shown political aspirations.

According to what the president said in that interview, Nicolás was born in Ciénaga de Oro and grew up in Córdoba, far from him. He has become an important political figure especially in Barranquilla and in the department of Atlántico. Now he is the first son of a Colombian president investigated by the Prosecutor's Office and detained to be charged.

What is he accused of?

After being arrested, Nicolás Petro has been charged this Tuesday, August 1st, for the crimes of money laundering and illicit enrichment. His ex-partner, Day Vásquez, was also arrested and investigated for money laundering and violation of personal data.

The Prosecutor's Office has advanced since March, when the scandal began, an investigation that has traced the patrimony of Nicolás Petro in order to prove that the president's son received illicit money to enlarge his patrimony. So the argument of the Prosecutor's Office has been to demonstrate that Nicolás has acquired and given the appearance of legality to illegal money and with this he has enriched himself.

Neither of the two detainees initially accepted the charges of which they are accused. However, after a recess in the hearing, Deputy Petro decided to collaborate with justice.

What is the reaction of President Gustavo Petro?

Since March of this year, the president has tried to distance himself from his son. He has maintained an impartial position in his statements, in which he has asked the Prosecutor's Office to carry out the investigation without any pressure from the presidency.

In his last tweets, which he has published since his son's capture, the president admits that it hurts him as a father but that as president he guarantees a judicial process free of pressure.

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 3rd, the hearing that will define whether there will be an insurance measure for the accused will continue.