Colombian President's Son Faces Up to 30 Years in Prison on Money Laundering Charges

BOGOTA, Colombia— In a dramatic court hearing, Nicolás Petro, the 36-year-old son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, faced charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment. Prosecutors alleged that Nicolás received thousands of dollars from drug traffickers and used it to purchase lavish homes and expensive cars.

Pleading innocent initially, Nicolás Petro later expressed a willingness to "collaborate" with investigators looking into President Petro's 2022 presidential campaign. The investigation was prompted by startling revelations from his ex-wife, Daysuris Vásquez, who disclosed a 600 million peso ($150,000) donation from a convicted drug trafficker that was intended for the president's campaign.

During the hearing, prosecutors accused Nicolás Petro of using illicit funds to acquire a mansion, luxurious apartment, and a Mercedes Benz SUV, registering the properties under the names of relatives to avoid tax scrutiny. They asserted that his expenses in 2022 far exceeded his salary as a legislator.

In an additional twist, prosecutors also implicated Vásquez in the money laundering scheme, alleging she helped her former husband hide cash in suitcases at their home.

The couple, no longer living together, was arrested over the weekend and held at the Chief Prosecutor's office in Bogota.

President Petro stated that he would not interfere with the investigation, hoping his son would "reflect on his mistakes." This scandal adds to the woes facing the president, who was previously embroiled in a corruption controversy in June related to his election campaign finance.

The situation casts a shadow on President Petro's popularity, and it echoes past incidents linking political campaigns to drug traffickers, evoking memories of Colombia's violent history in the 1990s. Despite achieving a ceasefire with the nation's largest rebel group during his first year in office, Petro has struggled to garner congressional support for his proposed health system, pension, and labor reforms.