A governor charged with embezzlement in southwest Colombia has been removed from her post and banned from holding public office for eleven years.
Cielo Gonzalez, a member of the country’s ruling U Party, was found guilty of investing nearly $3.4 million of public funds from oil royalties into Tig S.A., an investment firm, in 2007 while serving as mayor of Neiva, a town in the center of the department.
Gonzalez insists she is innocent, affirming that she “always” told her officials to carefully account for the public treasury and that it is difficult to speak to the actions of others in the administration.
The government of Huila has released a statement announcing Gonzalez will appeal the decision.