Ataco mayor and former mayor arrested over contract irregularities

The mayor and former mayor of Ataco, Tolima, have been captured in connection with alleged irregularities involving contracts worth more than 21,550 million Colombian pesos. The investigation, led by the Fiscalía General de la Nación, suggests that the officials and a contractor coordinated maneuvers to direct contracts for the construction of 1,170 sanitary units in rural sectors.

The projects, funded by the General Royalty System and intended for communities within the Territorial Development Programs with a Territorial Focus (PDET), remain unfinished despite being signed in 2022. The arrests were carried out by Dijín agents in Ataco and Florencia, Caquetá.

Héctor Fabio Muñoz, the current mayor, released a statement following his capture in Bogotá, asserting that he is ready to respond to the judicial process. He maintained that he has acted within legal and ethical frameworks and expressed confidence that the justice system will evaluate the evidence with impartiality.