A controversial House representative on the congressional committee charged with investigating ex-President Alvaro Uribe is resigning, to be replaced by a representative who was elected amidst accusations of electoral fraud, according to local media reports.
Yahir Acuña, an investigator with the congressional committee that investigates top government officials, will be tendering his request for resignation this Wednesday, according to the Colombian weekly Semana.
Taking over his position is Calendaria Rojas, a member of the 100% Colombia political party. Both representatives are both from the northern Colombian state of Sucre.
After being elected in March, both Rojas and Acuña were on the list of five House members whose election the Inspector General wanted to nullify over alleged electoral fraud.
MORE: Votes for five candidates to be nullified due to electoral fraud: Inspector General
Acuña claims that he is resigning before completing his term, which is scheduled to end in December, in order to seek office in his home state of Sucre.
But the website Las2Orillas has reported that their sources say he is resigning with plans to flee the country over fears the Supreme Court will be reopening investigations politicians’ ties to paramilitaries. The website claimed he has allegedly already bought tickets to Spain.
MORE: Parapolitics scandal
Before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2010, Acuña had been part of the pro-Uribe party known as PIN known for its many ties to politicians jailed for receiving support from drug cartels and the paramilitary group AUC. Just before the election, Acuña switched parties and ran on the Afrovides ticket, an Afro-Colombian party.
Despite the preliminary investigation over his alleged ties to paramilitaries at the time, Acuña was given a post on the congressional investigation committee. He took over after a previous investigator resigned after just two days due to death threats.
MORE: New Uribe investigator appointed after predecessor resigned over threats
Until the official campaign season begins for the government position in Sucre, Acuña announced that he will act as president of the Good Governance and Development Foundation.
Sources
- Acuña se va del Congreso pero deja heredera (Semana)
- La heredera de Yahir Acuña en la Comision de Acusaciones (Las2Orillas)
- Este miercoles renunciara Yahir Acuña al Congreso (El Tiempo)