Colombia’s electoral authorities opened another investigation into President Ivan Duque’s alleged involvement in election fraud in the 2018 elections.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) opened the preliminary investigation into claims that Duque’s 2018 campaign received $1.5 million (COP6 billion) in illegal campaign funds from two powerful Caribbean “clans.”
At the request of the opposition, the CNE also opened an investigation into the president’s 2018 campaign chief and one of Duque’s best friends, Luigi Echeverri.
National Electoral Council
The CNE will call the president and his former campaign chief to formally respond to the accusations before Colombia’s highest electoral court.
Colombia’s 2018 election fraud: investigations against Uribe and Duque piling up
The third Char Clan scandal
The investigations are the result of accusations made by fugitive former Congresswoman Aida Merlano, a fugitive former associate of the “Char Clan” from Barranquilla.
The Supreme Court has been investigating Senator Arturo Clan and his brother, former presidential candidate Alejandro Char, for their alleged involvement in vote-buying for which Merlano was convicted in 2020.
Following the accusations about the illegal campaign funds, Duque told the press that “my campaign was managed transparently and impeccably” by Echeverri.
Evidence indicates the exact opposite.
The questionable power of Colombia’s Char Clan
Supreme Court continues to investigate mafia support
The Supreme Court opened an investigation into the president’s allegedly criminal patron, former President Alvaro Uribe, after wiretaps revealed in 2020 that the drug trafficking organization of convicted crime lord Marcos Figueroa contributed to the campaign.
The wiretaps triggered additional investigations into multiple top executives of Duque’s far-right “Democratic Center” party.
The wiretaps were part of a homicide investigation and accidentally revealed the involvement of Figueroa’s late money launderer in the president’s 2018 campaign.
Wiretapping of drug trafficker reveals vote-buying for Duque on Uribe’s orders
The homicide investigation additionally revealed allegedly illegal campaign contributions from a Venezuelan businessman.
Merlano’s latest accusations further grew the scandal about the “Uribistas’” ties to organized crime and alleged involvement in election fraud.
The scandals have contributed to the gradual demise of the Uribistas who suffered a devastating defeat in congressional elections in May.