&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Rs 8,976 crore embezzlement scandal rocks Colombia; mayors and governors under scanner")
Former Colombian mayors and governors are under the scanner for the embezzlement of COP3 trillion ($941 million or Rs 8,976 crores). Thirteen suspects are under arrest, and prosecutors have asked the Supreme Court to investigate seven former governors. The matter is linked to the public-private partnership Sierra Nevada Mixed Fund, which was set up by former mayor of La Paz, Cesar, Martin Zuleta and his family in early 2021.
Reports claim that documents were forged to illegally appropriate funds from the General Royalties System for the fund. Governors of five provinces are said to have helped in doing so. The Supreme Court has received cases of governors of Magdalena, Vichada, Amazonas, Guaviare and Vaupes, including former Governors Rafael Martinez of Magdalena and Alvaro Leon of Vichada. All of them will be investigated in the matter. The mayor of María la Baja, a contractor and several former directors of the mixed fund have been arrested.
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Anti-corruption prosecutor Madeleyne Perez said at a press conference, "So far, we’ve tracked 3 trillion pesos, of which it has been established that some were misappropriated through irregular contracts." Caracol reported that following a raid at Zuleta's home, he was taken to a hospital. He would be cooperating with the investigation, officials said.
Problems in Sierra Nevada Mixed Fund emerged two years ago
The fund has been in the eye of a storm since 2024 when authorities found irregularities in certain projects. These included the construction of a high school in the Huila province, funds for indigenous reserves in La Guajira, and funds for school transport in Casanare.
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No open bidding procedure took place, according to a report by radio station W that is now non-functional, and departments from across Colombia hired Sierra Nevada for all kinds of projects. The report also identified that local and regional government authorities and the Fund entered into more than 100 contracts.
