Prosecutors arrested 13 suspects and asked Colombia’s Supreme Court to investigate seven (former) governors over their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of COP3 trillion ($941 million).
The arrests and the investigation requests are related to the public-private partnership Sierra Nevada Mixed Fund, which was created by Martin Zuleta (U Party) and his family when he was mayor of La Paz, Cesar, in early 2021.
While supposedly serving the interests of La Paz, the Sierra Nevada Mixed Fund allegedly used forged documents to illegally appropriate funds from the General Royalties System with the help of governors from at least five provinces.
“So far, we’ve tracked 3 trillion pesos, of which it has been established that some were misappropriated through irregular contracts,” anti-corruption prosecutor Madeleyne Perez said at a press conference.
Among those whose cases were forwarded to the Supreme Court were the governors of Magdalena, Vichada, Amazonas Guaviare an Vaupes.
Former Governors Rafael Martinez of Magdalena and Alvaro Leon of Vichada will also be investigated by the Supreme Court.
Among those who were arrested is the mayor of Maria la Baja, a contractor and multiple (former) directors of the mixed fund.
The non-profit has been investigated since 2024 when authorities found irregularities in the construction of a high school in the Huila province, funds for school transport in Casanare and funds meant for indigenous reserves in La Guajira.
A report by the now-defunct radio station W from that year showed that Sierra Nevada had been hired by authorities from throughout Colombia for a wide variety of projects, avoiding any open bidding procedure.
W found more than 100 contracts between mainly local and regional government authorities and the non-profit.
According to Caracol, Zuleta was taken to hospital after his home was raided by prosecution officials and would be available to cooperate with the prosecutors investigating his alleged involvement in corruption.
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