According to Al Jazeera, the son of President Gustavo Petro of Colombia was detained on suspicion of money laundering and illegal enrichment. The investigation into the money that Nicolas Petro is alleged to have amassed during the 2016 election campaign is what led to this arrest. The chief prosecutor’s office said in a statement that Petro and his ex-wife Daysuris Vazquez were taken into custody at around 6 am (local time) on Saturday following a court order in Bogota.
The office said once produced before a judge, prosecutors would seek their provisional detention as it investigates the two over allegations of money laundering, reported Al Jazeera.
Talking about the case, President Petro said he would not interfere with the probe.
“As an individual and father, it pains me to see so much self-destruction and one of my sons going to jail,” Petro wrote on social media.
“As president of the republic, I’ve assured the chief prosecutor’s office that it will have all of the guarantees so it can proceed according to the law,” he added.
He added in a tweet that the fact that one of his sons is incarcerated and how much self-destruction hurts him as a person and a father. Additionally, he made sure that the prosecution has my full backing to proceed in accordance with the law in my capacity as President. “I send my son good fortune and courage. In a tweet, the president of Colombia wished for people to “think about their own mistakes and let these events forge their character.” Nicolas Petro’s arrest is a serious setback for the government, which has been subject to attacks from the right and has struggled to maintain bipartisan support for Colombia in the United States, a crucial ally, according to Al Jazeera.