BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – In a shocking development, Colombian police arrested Nicolas Petro, the son of President Gustavo Petro, on Saturday as part of a high-profile money laundering investigation involving funds allegedly collected during last year’s presidential campaign.
President Gustavo Petro expressed his personal anguish over the situation but assured that he would not interfere with the ongoing probe. In an early morning message on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), he stated, “As an individual and father, it pains me to see so much self-destruction and one of my sons going to jail. As president of the republic, I’ve assured the chief prosecutor’s office that it will have all the guarantees so it can proceed according to the law.”
The arrest of Nicolas Petro represents a significant blow to the Colombian government, which has faced conservative criticism since its inception while also striving to maintain bipartisan support for the country in the United States, a long-standing ally.
The chief prosecutor’s office issued a statement revealing that Nicolas Petro and his ex-wife were taken into custody on the orders of a court in Bogota around 6 a.m. local time on Saturday. Once presented before a judge, prosecutors intend to request their provisional detention as the investigation into their alleged involvement in money laundering progresses.