The Colombian Senate failed to pass a censorship motion against Agricultural Minister Andres Fernandez for his responsibility in the agricultural subsidies scandal.
The vote failed with 40 against and 31 in favor of the motion, Caracol Radio reported Tuesday.
Fernandez has refused to resign over the corruption scandal in which his Ministry paid agricultural subsidies to politically and economically powerful families, while the subsidy was intended for small scale farmers.
Colombian opposition Liberal Party called the federal agricultural subsidy program (AIS) a piñata party for drug traffickers, beauty queens and paramilitaries and filed the motion against Fernandez.
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