2024-07-26 06:21:19
The Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, responded through his social networks to the information that implicates him in the alleged direction of multimillion-dollar contracts destined for disaster relief in several municipalities of the country, supposedly to favor certain congressmen.
In his statement, Bonilla said: “I calmly await my day and my opportunity before justice because my actions defend themselves.«. He said he would follow the work of the Attorney General’s Office with respect and attention, trusting that the investigations would reveal the truth and point out those truly responsible for the plundering of public resources.
The investigative body has accused Olmedo López, former director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), and Sneyder Pinilla, former deputy director of the same entity, of diverting resources to pay bribes to officials and political figuresIn addition, it is mentioned that Pinilla “coordinated with María Alejandra Benavides, advisor to the Minister of Finance, the direction of contracts for the municipalities of Cotorra, Saravena and Carmen de Bolívar.”
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Bonilla was firm in his defense, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between the legal procedures of the public treasury and illegal acts that, according to him, have been confused in the Colombian state. “The mechanisms of public finances and their procedures in the Colombian state have been confused with illegal acts, which a rigorous investigation must identify,” he said.
The Minister also stressed that actions such as asking about a procedure, executing a budget or meeting to review an official agenda should not be interpreted as irregularities.For now, I must tell the country that asking about a procedure is not ‘directing’that executing a budget is not handing over money, that meeting to review an official agenda is not agreeing on irregularities, that receiving congressmen demanding solutions for their regions is not buying votes,” he clarified.
Bonilla assured that he and his office have fulfilled their duties in a transparent manner. and asked to be heard in order to clear up any doubts. He expressed his confidence that the Prosecutor’s Office, at the end of the investigation, will conclude that the crimes were committed by others and that the real criminals will be identified.
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