Inspector General Alejandro Ordoñez Wednesday upheld the 18-year public office ban he placed on Senator Piedad Cordoba for allegedly collaborating with the FARC guerrilla group.
Ordóñez, who banned Cordoba from holding public office on September 27 on “FARC-politics” charges, rejected an appeal from the senator to reconsider the case. He said there was sufficient evidence for the punishment to stand.
“There is evidence that the senator urged the [FARC] to be hostile against members of political parties and government officials,” Ordoñez said. He added that there are also indications that Cordoba gave advice to the guerrilla group, gave them information on matters she was not authorized to discuss with them, and participated in events to promote the FARC.
Ordoñez cited documents found on the computers of deceased FARC leader “Raul Reyes” that were recovered in a 2008 Colombian military operation. He said the documents referred to Cordoba by name and prove she was in illegal communication with the FARC.
Following the punishment issued in September, Cordoba argued that Ordoñez didn’t have the “moral authority” to punish her because he was also under criminal investigation. She later filed a formal complaint and request that someone else should review her appeal, which the inspector general rejected. Ordoñez said there were no factors preventing his ability to make a ruling in the appeal, but Cordoba argued that due to public statements made by Ordoñez regarding her case, he should not be allowed to review it.