Colombia: Petro administration faces scrutiny over fund use and criminal ties

The administration of President Gustavo Petro in Colombia is facing scrutiny over the alleged misuse of public funds and potential criminal ties to political interests.

Reports indicate that the Department of Administrative for Social Prosperity (DPS) allocated approximately 9.499 billion pesos to Canal Tro de Santander for advertising. Concerns have been raised regarding the timing of this expenditure, as nearly 91 percent of the total contract—amounting to 8.643 billion pesos—was billed in less than six months, with a heavy concentration of spending during the critical election months of May, June, and July.

Separately, a leaked interview with Jorge Eliécer Díaz Collazos, known as alias Castor, a leader of the criminal organization Los Costeños, has surfaced. The interview, conducted at La Picota prison in Bogotá, reveals the criminal leader's alleged interest in influencing electoral processes. Castor reportedly expressed a willingness to support the continuity of the Pacto Histórico political project and indicated support for specific candidates, including Iván Cepeda, while discussing the need for criminal sectors to secure representation in Congress.