Colombia last week elected 268 new lawmakers, 42 of whom with are linked to organized crime and corruption, according to a leading think tank.
NGO the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation reported that 70 candidates were questioned with dodgy links. Of these candidates, 42 ended up being elected on March 11 and will take seat in the Senate or the House of Representatives.
Some of the allegations include links to right-wing paramilitaries such as the AUC or drug traffickers, others have been linked to corruption scandals.
Many are family members of politicians who have been sentenced to prison.
Parties with most suspicious lawmakers
- Radical Change (13)
- U Party (11)
- Conservative Party (8)
- Liberal Party (7)
- Democratic Center (1)
The legislative “mafia”
Juan Diego Gomez (Conservative Party)
Accused of being involved in the bribery of Congress by Brazilian engineering firm Odebrecht
Julian Bedoya (Liberal Party)
Accused of using educational institution SENA for electoral purposes.
Armando Benedetti (U Party)
Accused of having used paramilitary groups for electoral purposes
Lidio Garcia (Liberal Party)
Investigated over ties with now-defunct paramilitary organization AUC and accused of corruption.
Nadya Georgette Biel (Conservative Party)
Daughter of imprisoned former congressman Vicente Biel.
Daira de Jesus Galvis (Radical Change)
Attorney of Enilce Lopez, a.k.a. “La Gata.”
Andres Garcia Zuccardi – (U Party)
Son of former Senator Juan Jose Garcia, who was convicted for corruption, and Piedad Zuccardi, who is accused of ties to paramilitary groups.
Temistocles Ortega (Radical Change)
Investigated for using government funds for election campaign.
Jose Alfredo Gnecco (U Party)
Political ally of convicted former La Guajira Governor Juan Francisco Gomez, who is in prison for murder.
Didier Lobo (Radical Change)
Another member of the suspicious Gnecco clan.
Nora Maria Garcia (Conservative Party)
Investigated over alleged ties with paramilitary commanders.
Jhony Moises Besaile (U Party)
Brother of arrested former Senator Musa Besaile.
Myriam Paredes (Conservative Party)
Investigated over mismanagement of assets seized from drug traffickers.
Samy Mehreg (Conservative Party)
Brother of fugitive former Senator Habib Merheg.
Richard Aguilar (Radical Change)
Son of former governor Hugo Aguilar, a former ally of paramilitary group AUC.
Antonio Guerra de la Espriella (Radical Change)
Accused of involvement in bribery by Brazilian engineering form Odebrecht.
Roosevelt Rodriguez (U Party)
Ally of Valle del Cauca governor Dilian Francisco Toro, who is investigated for ties to paramilitary groups and corruption.
Jose Ritter Lopez (U Party)
Ally of Valle del Cauca governor Dilian Francisco Toro, who is investigated for ties to paramilitary groups and corruption.
Laura Fortich (Liberal Party)
Political heir of former Senator Alvaro Ashton, who is in jail on charges he maintained ties to the AUC, received bribes from Brazilian engineering firm Odebrecht and rape.
Luis Emilio Tovar (Democratic Center)
Personal friend of former Governor Julio Acosta, who was sentenced for his ties to paramilitary groups.
Jose Ignacio Mesa (Radical Change)
Son of former Envigado mayor and Medellin Cartel associate Jorge Mesa.
Karen Cure (Radical Change)
Political heir of Enilce Lopez, a.k.a. “La Gata.”
Hernando Padaui (Radical Change)
Business partner of former anti-corruption chief Luis Gustavo Moreno, who was convicted after admitting to bribing Supreme Court justices.
Erwin Arias (Radical Change)
Investigated for corruption as mayor of La Dorada, Caldas.
Eloy Quintero (Radical Change)
Accused of ties to drug lord Techo Ospina.
David Pulido (Radical Change)
Political heir of former Governor Nebio de Jesus Echeverry and former Governor Oscar de Jesus Lopez, who have been ties to paramilitary groups.
Jose Pinedo (Radical Change)
Son of former Senator Miguel Pinedo, who was sentenced for his ties to paramilitary groups.
Carlos Mario Farelo (Radical Change)
Son of a politician from El Dificil, Magdalena, who is accused of ties to paramilitary groups.
Alfredo Cuello (Conservative Party)
Implicated in the bribery scandal of Brazilian engineering form Odebrecht.
Maria Cristina Soto (Conservative Party)
Endorsed by former La Guajira Governor Juan Francisco Gomez, who is in prison for murder.
Ciro Rodriguez (Conservative Party)
Investigated for allegedly taking bribes in the Odebrecht scandal.
Nilton Cordoba Manyoma (Liberal Party)
Accused of bribing the Supreme Court.
Alexander Bermudez Lasso (Liberal Party)
The alleged brother-in-law of drug lord and paramilitary warlord “Don Mario.”
Kelyn Johana Gonzalez (Liberal Party)
Wife of Rodrigo Roncallo, who was convicted for teaming up with paramilitary groups.
Alvaro Henry Monedero (Liberal Party)
Political heir of former Governor Juan Carlos Abadia, who is accused of corruption.
Astrid Sanchez (U Party)
Sister of former Governor Patrocinio Sanchez, who was suspended after embezzling health funds, and former Quibdo Mayor Odin Sanchez, who was convicted for his paramilitary ties.
Sara Piedrahita (U Party)
Cousin of former Cordoba Governor Alejandro Lyons, who was arrested in the United States on corruption charges.
Erasmo Zuleta (U Party)
Political heir of former Senator Musa Besayle, who is in jail over his alleged bribing of the Supreme Court.
Jorge Burgos (U Party)
Political heir of Zulema Jattin, who is investigated for her alleged ties to paramilitary groups.
Alfredo Rafael Deluque (Citizens’ Option)
Political heir of Cielo Redondo, the former political chief warlord Arnulfo Sanchez, a.k.a. “Pablo.”
Franklin Lozano (Citizens’ Option)
Son of Franklin Lozano, a former deputy who was convicted of ties to paramilitary groups.
Milena Jarava (Citizens’ Option)
Political heir of former House Representative Yahir Acuña, who is investigated for his alleged ties to paramilitary groups.