Colombia’s Supreme Court is investigating 250 of 266 congressmen for the period of 2010 to 2014, according to a document leaked to Caracol Radio.
According to the radio station, it was leaked a document in which the Supreme Court asked Congress to confirm whether the 250 names on the list are or have been active members of congress.
MORE: 10% of Colombia’s 2010-2014 Congress kicked out of office
This confirmation is one of the steps the court has to take if it wants to formally begin criminal investigations against former or sitting members of Congress.
Among those investigated for crimes are current Interior Minister Juan Fernando Cristo (Liberal Party), National Planning director Simon Gaviria (Liberal Party) and Congress president Jose David Name (U Party).
Also included are the former members of a bi-chamber commission that approved a justice reform that was later repealed by President Juan Manuel Santos after he found that clauses that would shield congressmen from criminal investigations had been inserted in the reform.
MORE: Colombia’s justice minister resigns after failing judicial reform
Caracol claimed that the court’s letter to the Secretary General of Congress has caused major unrest among lawmakers who are currently in the process of approving a reform that includes drastic reforms to the judicial branch that have been fiercely criticized by the country’s high courts.
According to the radio station, some in Congress consider the letter a message to intimidate Congress ahead of a possible approval of the reform.
Sources
- Corte investiga a 250 congresistas del periodo 2010-2014 (Caracol Radio)