Colombian Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla has resigned at the request of President Gustavo Petro following accusations that he turned a blind eye to the bribery of parliamentarians. A former adviser accused Bonilla last week of being aware that lawmakers were being paid in exchange for supporting key reforms promised by Petro.
The attorney general’s office alleges that the bribes amounted to $200,000, taken from public funds. However, Bonilla has denied the allegations and maintained his innocence.
At a press conference on Wednesday, President Petro announced that Bonilla would be replaced by his deputy, Diego Guevara. Petro explained that he asked for Bonilla’s resignation “not because I believe he is guilty, but because they want to destroy him for his loyalty” to the president.
The scandal is part of a larger wave of corruption allegations involving high-ranking government officials and members of parliament from both the ruling and opposition parties. In July, the country’s intelligence chief, a close ally of Petro, also resigned after prosecutors accused him of overseeing the bribery of parliamentary leaders to expedite the passage of key bills.
Petro, who took office in 2022 with a bold agenda for social reforms, is now facing a significant political challenge as corruption scandals continue to rock his administration.
