During an interrogation, Nicolás Petro stated that his father received benefits from the underworld through him during the 2022 presidential election campaign that were not properly stated, the responsible prosecutor said at a hearing on Thursday (local time) in Bogotá. President Petro said he was unaware of the allegedly illegal payments.

Nicolás Petro and his ex-wife Daysuris Vásquez were arrested and charged with money laundering and illegal enrichment. Vásquez started the investigation when she accused Nicolás Petro of receiving illegal donations from drug dealers. Nicolás Petro, who was a regional MP, then announced that he wanted to work with the prosecutor.

President Petro is the South American country’s first left-wing president in decades. The former guerrilla and former mayor of the capital Bogotá wants to negotiate with left-wing guerrilla groups and criminal organizations to achieve “total peace” for the country, which has been plagued by armed conflict for over 50 years.