A Colombian gubernatorial candidate came under fire Sunday after a music video appeared in which he plays a mafia boss.
A video of Arnulfo Gasca, who is running for governor of the southeastern Caqueta department, was released Sunday that shows the candidate starring as the leader of a criminal gang surrounded by women and men with shotguns and rifles. The song accompanying the video, “Patron de Patrones,” by Los Originales, sang lyrics that Gasca’s opponents found particularly damning. “I am the boss of bosses,” the song exclaimed, “my people are organized to kill whoever I wish and deal with snitches.”
The director of the Colombian research firm Nuevo Arco Iris, Leon Valencia, said that the video was “of enormous gravity” and that “the authorities must take action.”
“He’s flaunting illegal activities and threatening,” said Valencia, “and that’s not a funny thing.”
Gasca received further criticism from the heads of Colombia’s political parties. Rafael Pardo, chairman of the Liberal party said that Gasca’s behavior was “not appropriate for someone who wanted to be governor.”
Gasca defended himself. “that video is five years old and I never talked in it,” said Gasca “Only now because I am a candidate for governor… people have found the video to damage the image of Arnulfo Gasca.” Gasca added that he starred in the video, which was filmed at his villa, to support a local artist.
In 1999 Gasca was investigated and arrested for drug trafficking. He was held for 90 days before he was released without a conviction.
Gasca can be seen as the gentlemen in the yellow shirt in the video.