Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is purposely delaying the replacement of suspended Bogota mayor Samuel Moreno, says Moreno’s party, the socialist Polo Democratico.
Party chairman Clara Lopez expressed her dismay with Santos’ announcement that two of the three candidates on the Polo Democratico shortlist are “possibly unfit” because of judicial complications.
According to Rojas, Santos temporary replacement of Moreno, Education Minister Maria Fernanda Campo is “clearly unfit to carry out the job for not belonging to this party.”
Santos, in a public speech on Friday, said that Campo will continue to be mayor of Bogota and did not say which of the candidates are “possibly unfit” or why they are unfit to replace Moreno, who was suspended amid a criminal investigation for corruption.
According to Colombia’s constitution, a suspended mayor’s political party hands a shortlist of three candidates to the president of the republic who then picks the replacement.
Whoever replaces Moreno can only be in office until later this year as local elections are planned for October.