The director of the Military Club, an entity under the Ministry of Defense, labelled Colombia’s defense minister a “fake” and a “liar” as he announced a libel lawsuit against him, El Espectador reported.
General Ismael Silva had led the Military Club, a recreational and welfare establishment for the armed forces, for nine years until Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera accepted his resignation on May 6, even though he will remain in office for the immediate future.
The resignation followed Rivera’s announcements that the Military Club had accounting problems related to contracts and service delivery.
Silva has now hit back at Rivera’s allegations, calling him a “fake” and a “liar,” stating that “among the major inconsistencies reported by the authorities include the current lack of liquidity at the Club for the payment of its obligations and the contracted supply of services.”
The retired army general refuted the claims, stating that the Military Club is a thriving institution and appearing on television with documents apparently proving his innocence. He said that he is open to corruption investigations.
He is seemingly outraged by how Rivera has portrayed him as a corrupt official, which he described as the “falsehood of all falsehoods” given the “self-sustainability” of the club, leading him to announce a libel lawsuit against the minister.
The Military Club has about 27,000 members, all officers of the armed forces who can visit with their families, and receives about $8 million annually.