Colombia Prosecutor charges former Vice Minister Nelson Lemus with sexual harassment

The Colombian Inspector General’s Office (Procuraduría General de la Nación) has formally charged Nelson Lemus Cruz, the former Vice Minister of Ethnic and Peasant Peoples at the Ministry of Equality, with alleged sexual harassment.

The charges stem from a complaint filed by Sandra Milena Cobos Angulo, a former official at the ministry, regarding incidents that reportedly occurred between July and August 2024. According to the investigation, Lemus allegedly used his position of authority to pressure Cobos, making personal insinuations, inviting her to non-work-related trips, and engaging in non-consensual touching.

Specific allegations include an incident on July 22, 2024, where Lemus reportedly stroked Cobos’s hands without consent during a meeting. The Prosecutor’s Office has characterized the alleged conduct as a “very serious fault” committed with intent, noting that the evidence, including testimonies and communications, supports the claims of workplace and sexual harassment.