A lawsuit filed against Colombia’s National Electoral Council (CNE) calling for the removal of Gustavo Petro from the office of mayor of Bogota, Colombia’s capital, has been shot down in court.
The councilor who filed the lawsuit, Orlando Parada Diaz, claimed that Petro’s 1985 conviction for the possession of firearms should have precluded him from being enrolled as a mayoral candidate.
“You cannot reward someone who has broken the law, but instead should promote Bogota mayor survives attempt to remove him from officelegal principles that prevent criminals from becoming role models of society,” said Parada, referring to Petro’s prior membership in the now-defunct left wing guerrilla group, M-19.
PROFILE: Gustavo Petro
“Those who have been convicted at any time for offenses related to the membership, promotion or financing of illegal armed groups cannot be registered as candidates for political office,” said Parada.
However, the CNE’s defense lawyer successfully argued that the law did not apply to Petro, as he had previously been pardoned for both the aforementioned crime, and his membership in M-19.
The verdict has no doubt brought some welcome respite for the embattled mayor, who in January of this year claimed that vested interests were ploting a coup against him.
MORE: Mayor of Bogota claims ‘coup’ brewing against him
Sources
- Tribunal rechazo demanda contra inscripcion de Petro a la Alcaldia (El Espectador)
- Tribunal fallo a favor de Petro en demanda que buscaba revocarlo de la alcaldia (El Colombiano)
