Is the informant a former daughter-in-law?, President's Son Arrested in Money Laundering | Nicolas Petro. In Gustavo | President
Author: Yu Qiyao and Feng Lu
Recently, a new entry appeared on Wikipedia - Nicolas Petro. He is the eldest son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
In public photos, he has stylish slightly curled black short hair, a square face, thick and thick eyebrows, and a "good young man" image with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
But the reason why he made the Wikipedia entry is not honorable - he was arrested in the capital of Atlantic Province, Barankilia, on suspicion of money laundering and earning illegal income, and was escorted to the plane by security personnel in an armored vehicle and motorcycle. He will soon be tried in Bogot á.
·Nicolas Petro.
At the first hearing on July 30th, the prosecutor's office announced that the arrest of Nicholas and his ex-wife Desoulis Basque was "completely legal", and multiple subsequent hearings will be held.
·Nicholas Petro and his father Gustavo Petro.
During Gustavo's less than a year in office, this scandal involving the presidential family shook the entire Colombia. However, analysts say there is a lot of depth behind this matter.
Ex wife roast about leading out "big case"
In 1986, Nicholas was born in Shenaga de Oro, Cordoba Province, as a child of Gustavo and his first wife.
Nicholas graduated from the Law School of the Pope's University in Bolivar and later went to study in Barcelona, Spain, where he obtained a master's degree in climate change from a local university.
Although he did not live with his father for a long time, Nicholas, like his father, was passionate about politics. After graduating with a master's degree, he followed in the footsteps of his father and entered politics, mainly serving in the northern region of Colombia.
In 2019, Nicholas became a candidate for Governor of the Atlantic Province. Although he was ultimately not elected as he had hoped, he won a seat in the provincial council. At a young age, Nicholas became a political rising star as a member of the Atlantic Provincial Assembly.
In 2021, during Gustavo's presidential campaign, Nicholas helped his father win votes while falling in love with Daisulis Basquez.
·Nicholas Petro and his ex-wife Desoulis.
At that time, he knelt on one knee and put on a proposal ring for his beloved woman. The heart-shaped red balloon and a table filled with decorations added a touch of warmth to the atmosphere of the scene.
"He has taken over my heart," Desoulis said, posting the scene on his social media. Nicholas quickly forwarded this message. The warm and romantic scene has added a favorable impression of this family to many voters.
However, just two years later, the couple who publicly showed their love has become passersby. The two divorced, and Daisulis revealed in an interview with Columbia magazine Weekly that from the end of 2021 to the beginning of 2022, Nicholas collected huge political donations without his father's knowledge, and claimed to use these funds for his father's election activities, but in reality, he took possession of them. This is suspected of violating relevant Colombian laws.
However, due to Daisulis's knowledge of the matter at the time, she was also arrested on charges of money laundering and infringement of personal data. Her current fianc é immediately defended her, posting on social media praising her for "daring to condemn corrupt behavior" and calling on the judiciary to "pardon those who challenge corruption and privilege.".
·Daisulis.
"I hope he reflects on his mistakes"
According to Dai Sulis, at the end of 2021, Nicholas carried out political fundraising behind his father's back. The sources of funds he received were somewhat "dark" - former drug lord Sanuel and businessman Alfonso, who was suspected of colluding with criminal groups to commit murder, had provided him with funds totaling over 600 million pesos.
"Maximo Noriega, a former councilor of Barankia and candidate for provincial governor, was the intermediary in these fund transfers to avoid direct contact between Nicholas and Sanuel."
"Nicholas did not use this huge sum of money for his father's election, but instead used it for the purchase of a 436 square meter mansion, living a luxurious life," said Desoulis. "Of course, President Gustav was completely unaware of his son's transaction."
·After Nicholas was arrested, he participated in the legalization hearing with his ex-wife.
According to reports, the mansion is located in the affluent area of Barankilia, with a private swimming pool and three garages, and a total of four bedrooms. In addition to purchasing luxury homes, Nicholas also accepted a truck provided by a contractor.
Nicholas unhesitatingly denied these claims, stating that DeSulis was "harmful and baseless" in his duties. The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia has stated that it will verify the allegations of De Sulis and conduct an investigation into Nicholas.
·Nicholas.
It is worth mentioning that Gustavo was Colombia's first left-wing president, who promised to promote "democratic socialism" in his campaign platform, combat corruption, and thoroughly reform the economy to eliminate inequality, thus gaining support from the working class and low-income groups. After taking office, he made efforts to fulfill his promise of "changing the government and resolutely fighting corruption", and also proposed raising taxes on the wealthy and using the increased taxes to increase public investment.
Obviously, if Nicholas's actions are true, they will go against his father's governing philosophy and even become the "corrupt person" that his father wants to crack down on.
"As a father, I feel very painful when I see my son imprisoned," Gustavo wrote on social media after his eldest son was arrested. "I wish my son good luck and strength. May these events reshape his character, and may he reflect on his mistakes."
At the same time, Gustavo also assured the public that he would uphold the dignity of the law. As the President of the Republic, I promise to fully cooperate with relevant legal procedures and not interfere with the work of the prosecution department or exert pressure.
Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez supported Gustavo on social media, stating that she understands the feelings of parents when children are in difficult situations, and praised the President's spirit of the rule of law.
A conspiracy against the president?
Gustavo was born in 1960 and has served as a senator, representative, and mayor of the capital city of Bogot á in Colombia. In the second round of voting in Colombia's presidential election held in June last year, Gustavo won and became the country's first president from a left-wing ruling coalition, seen as the new leader driving Colombia towards socio-economic justice,
·Nicholas and his father Gustavo.
According to Columbia's Weekly, all individuals involved in the Nicholas money laundering case will be subject to scrutiny. Among them, former drug dealer Sanuel received particular attention.
Sanuel once smuggled cigarettes and was known as the "Marlboro Merchant". In 2002, he was extradited to the United States for drug trafficking and served 19 years in prison.
In 2022, Sanuel appeared on a radio program calling on the public to vote for presidential candidate Gustavo. In early July of this year, Sanuel announced his candidacy for mayor of Maikao City in Guajila Province. Due to his previous drug trafficking record, this move has caused many doubts and concerns.
For a long time, Colombian drug trafficking groups and triads have been rampant, and the people have suffered greatly. They have a deep hatred towards drug traffickers and gangs. At his inauguration ceremony in August 2022, Gustavo talked about the importance of combating drug trafficking: "Currently, developed countries such as the United States are the main consumers of drugs, but Latin American countries such as Colombia have paid a huge price for drug crimes. Drugs are the root cause of criminal groups, violent incidents, and poverty."
Regarding the arrest of Nicholas, Global Times contacted multiple scholars studying Latin American issues, as well as Chinese residents in Colombia, and received generally cautious feedback without making direct judgments. Some analysts believe that the political situation in Colombia is relatively complex, and the facts of this case have not yet been clarified. If the accusations against Nicholas are confirmed, although it will not directly affect Gustavo's presidency, it is inevitable that Gustavo will face pressure from domestic public opinion.
American economist Scott McDonald divided Gustavo's year in office into two phases. In the first phase after taking office in August 2022, he promoted the implementation of some key policies and hoped that the left-wing government would lead the country towards a "more peaceful, green, and fair" future.
Starting from April this year, Gustavo's governance entered the second phase and encountered many setbacks. The healthcare reform bill he pushed was not passed in the lower house of Congress, and subsequently he reorganized the cabinet by appointing more left-wing individuals to the cabinet. But with the resignation of Finance Minister Ocampo, who is pro market and has more connections in Congress, cooperation between his government and Congress has become more difficult.
In June of this year, his chief of staff, Laura Salabia, accused his nanny, Mezza, of stealing money. Mezza, on the other hand, told the media that he had been taken to a basement near the Presidential Palace for lie testing. This matter quickly escalated into a scandal suspected of illegal eavesdropping and abuse of power. Salabia has also been involved in another illegal eavesdropping scandal involving Ambassador Benedetti to Venezuela. After the judicial department announced an investigation, Salabia and Benedetti were both dismissed from their positions.
The Le Monde commented that looking back at his tenure, Petro may have felt exhausted. Now, his son has also encountered problems, which has further divided his opponents and supporters. Petro's political enemies have described him as a "hypocrite," but his supporters believe that these things are all "conspiracies against the president.".
·Nicholas.
