Colombia’s Finance Minister Resigns Amid Corruption Scandal, President Petro Defends Him
Colombia’s Finance Minister, Ricardo Bonilla, resigned on Wednesday following a corruption scandal that has rocked President Gustavo Petro’s administration.
Bonilla stepped down after facing accusations of diverting funds from the country’s disaster relief agency and allegedly buying votes in a congressional committee involved with government finances.
Despite the allegations, Bonilla maintained his innocence in a social media post, stating, “I leave with my head held high, confident that I will convince my investigators that I did not buy silence nor votes from congressmen.” He denied committing any crimes and asserted that his legal defense is grounded in truth and transparency.
President Petro, who has weathered multiple scandals since taking office in 2022, stood by Bonilla, even as he accepted the minister’s resignation. In a social media post, Petro described Bonilla as a “true economist, committed to the necessities of his people.” However, Petro also acknowledged the deep-rooted corruption issues within Colombia’s political system, writing, “Politics and law continue to be based on corruption.”
Bonilla’s resignation marks the second time Petro has had to replace his finance minister. Bonilla took over from José Antonio Ocampo in 2023 after an abrupt reshuffle in Petro’s cabinet.
The scandal began earlier this year when the Colombian public prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into a series of expensive contracts awarded to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD). Some of these contracts allegedly included $10.5 million for defective water tankers intended for La Guajira province, where residents struggle to access clean water.
The investigation eventually implicated Bonilla, with the Colombian Supreme Court focusing on possible charges of bribery and illicit enrichment. A key figure in the scandal, former UNGRD deputy director Sneyder Pinilla, has turned state’s witness, providing evidence of a “criminal structure” connecting the agency to senior federal officials.
While Petro has largely rejected the corruption claims, insisting they are politically motivated, the scandal adds to a series of challenges for his government. In October, Petro dismissed an investigation into campaign finance violations as an attempt to sabotage his presidency. Petro also suggested the corruption allegations against Bonilla were part of a broader effort to undermine his economic policies.
In the midst of the scandal, Petro quickly replaced Bonilla with Diego Guevara, the vice minister of finance, on Wednesday afternoon.
Bonilla’s departure is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the president’s administration. In addition to the ongoing investigations into his former campaign manager and his son, Nicolás Petro, who faced house arrest for allegedly accepting money from individuals linked to drug trafficking, the corruption allegations continue to haunt the government.
President Petro has expressed frustration with the ongoing investigations, claiming that those behind the accusations aim to divide his administration and disrupt his economic agenda.
