Elected representative Santiago Castro accused President Gustavo Petro of lifting arrest warrants against Clan del Golfo leaders to boost Iván Cepeda's campaign in the May 31 presidential elections.
Castro, from the Centro Democrático party, claimed the move aims to pressure voters through armed groups. “Everything leads us to think that the president is lifting the 29 arrest warrants against Clan del Golfo members so they can campaign directly for his candidate Iván Cepeda,” he stated.
The congressman linked the action to the La Picota pact and asserted that the state, drug trafficking, and subversion are working for the same political project. He criticized the total peace policy and cited the assassination of Miguel Uribe Turbay as part of the insecurity climate facing his party.
Castro estimated that up to two million votes for Cepeda could come from threats and urged the international community to monitor the process. He added that Paloma Valencia has the best chance of defeating Cepeda in a potential runoff.
