Infighting in top of Colombia’s government continues

Infighting in the cabinet of Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro continued over investigations into alleged election fraud of Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.

Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia surprisingly said on social media platform X that she provided new recordings of Benedetti to the Prosecutor’s General’s Office regarding the alleged financing irregularities.

In a recording that was leaked to media, the interior minister said that he can be appointed to any position because he already “made a strong move in the Prosecutor General’s Office.”

Laura, I thought I would call you on Wednesday, Thursday, but I moved hard today at the Prosecutor’s Office and they told me that they can appoint me as anything, that absolutely nothing at all is going on. Now, (inaudible phrase), with the number one and with Jaimes and they told me that nothing is going on, that you can appoint me to whatever you want.

Armando Benedetti

The recordings are voice notes sent to Sarabia in May of 2023, when the “number one” in the prosecutor was former Prosecutor General Francisco Barbosa and Gabriel Jaimes was one of the prosecution’s top official.

In response, Barbosa told Blu Radio that “I don’t even know the man… I’ve never had a meeting with Benedetti in my life.”

The criminal investigation

The audio files Sarabia said she sent to the prosecution would be additional evidence of Benedetti’s admitted shady practices ahead of the presidential elections in 2022.

The prosecution is investigating Benedetti’s claim of bringing $15 billion COP into Petro´s campaign.

In leaked recordings provided by Sarabia in 2023,  Benedetti drunkenly boasted that “I held 100 meetings… 15 billion pesos. What’s more, it it weren’t for me, they wouldn’t have made any money.”

Benedetti subsequently suggested he would take down the Petro administration if he would get into trouble.

“It’s not a threat, because you know me. I’m not going to let anyone fool me, Laura. I swear on the lives of my children: we’ll all sink, we’ll all be finished, we’ll all go to jail.”

Armando Benedetti

Roots of dissention

Armando Benedetti and Laura Sarabia once seemed to have an almost familial relationship.

After graduating, the foreign minister volunteered for the U party, which was formed in 2005 in support of far-right former President Alvaro Uribe.

Accepting an offer, Sarabia joined the party’s think-tank analyzing bills and assisting members of Congress.

She caught the eye of Benedetti, a senator at the time, who assigned her to his Legislative Work Unit (UTL), where she stood out for her work ethic.

In 2021, Benedetti joined Petro’s campaign and brought his team, including Sarabia, with him.

Distinguishing herself during the election, Sarabia became Petro’s right-hand and ultimately became foreign minister.