“A shot to the foot.” This is what is being said this Wednesday morning in political circles after the turn that has taken the subject of the letter brought by former President Andrés Pastrana Arango, in his speech to the Truth Commission. Because? The former president wanted to ratify his thesis that Ernesto Samper Pizano if he knew of the income of money from the Cali cartel in his campaign, which in effect he achieved. The unexpected was the reaction of the brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, who now point out to him that he had also received silver and put back on the table two acts of corruption that marked his government.
(You may be interested: Pastrana keeps, for now, silence of accusation of the bosses)
These are the Chambacú and Dragacol scandals. The first exploded during his reign (1998-2002) and involved Fernando Araújo Perdomo and Luis Alberto Moreno, later president of the IDB, and very close to Pastrana.
(Also: The explosive response of the Rodríguez Orejuela to former President Pastrana)
He pointed out to both of them to take advantage of inside information to negotiate in favorable terms to the National Institute of Housing of Social Interest and Urban Reform (INURBE) a lot to develop a construction project between the walled city and the castle of San Felipe in Cartagena.
This land, until then, was inhabited by people in extreme poverty, mostly Afro-Colombian population.
For its part, the Dragacol scandal arose over the hiring between its government and the company Society of Dredging and Constructions of Colombia and the Caribbean SA (Dragacol), in March 1999.
Through the Ministry of Transport the work of the Josefina dredger was paid for when this machinery was allegedly seized, but was actually being operated to perform another contract in Cartagena de Indias.
(Also: ‘I never proposed such a pact’: Rafael Pardo responds to Pastrana)
The case was reported to Congress by Senator Javier Cáceres Leal. More than 30 officials were investigated as a result of these facts. There was talk of mismanagement of 26 billion pesos.
In this case, he declared himself responsible in solidarity with former Minister Maurici Cárdenas, who is now affected because, although he has continued a successful public life – in fact, today he is aspiring to the Presidency – he puts him back to give explanations.
POLITICS