Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro offered jobs to members of the rival Green Party in exchange for their participation in a “Petroist” coalition, reported local media.
Green Party representative Alfonso Prada said five jobs were offered to Green Party councilors, including the directorship of Bogota’s Botanical Garden.
Petro came to office on a campaign that promised to avoid political cronyism and to govern independently of major parties. Some see the proposed exchange as a reversal of that policy.
Petro’s political ally, Antonio Navarro Wolff, defended the move saying, “We don’t make these offers so people can rob and do a bad job, but so they can do good things. We’ll make the coalition so parties can take responsibilities and be accountable.”
The Green Party had a meeting Sunday to decide on the proposal. No decision has yet been announced.