Colombian Congress president Hernan Andrade admitted Monday having
received money from Armando Cabrera, convicted for one of Colombia’s
biggest ever embezzlement scandals.
Andrade admitted having received a 250 million pesos (US$ 121 thousand) loan, but said he never knew the money came from fraud. the money was deposited on the senator’s account just days before his election in 2006.
The congress president denies the money was a gift and says he will present evidence he only lent the money and has already paid back 80 million pesos (US$ 39 thousand).
Meanwhile, the senator’s party, coalition party Partido de la U, said they will thoroughly investigate the senator’s financial whereabouts and said the senator will have to give clear and direct explanations about the loan.
Andrade is “evaluating the situation” with his lawyers to see if he should step down as senator and Congress president, he told Caracol Radio.
Armando Cabrera was convicted for embezzling money from Colombia’s social security fund last year.
