Ex-Miss Colombia Valerie Dominguez denied having considered or accepted proposals to improve the government’s image by serving as the face of the Agro Ingreso Seguro (AIS) program, Radio Santa Fe reported Thursday.
The former beauty queen and television actress said that from the moment that she was informed of the proposal, she sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture refusing to participate in such a campaign and turning down the money she was offered to do so.
“I take this opportunity to reiterate that as soon as I became aware of the true extent of what was initially presented to me as a loan, I directed a communication to the Ministry of Agriculture refusing the money; accordingly, I couldn’t have any interest in participating in publicity campaigns to improve the image of the Agro Ingreso Seguro,” Dominguez said in a communique.
On Wednesday, prosecutors alleged that the then-head of the scandal-ridden ministry had postured Dominguez to serve as the face of a campaign that would improve their image, following the AIS scandal in which the ex-beauty queen herself allegedly participated.
Various government officials are accused of involvement in the AIS scandal, in which Colombia’s wealthiest families received government subsidies intended for poor rural farmers. Dominguez, as well as her boyfriend Juan Manuel Davila and his family, are among those currently being processed for such charges.