Colombia’s prosecutor general said on Thursday that senior liberal politician and former interior minister Horacio Serpa will not be investigated for his alleged connections to the now-defunct Cali Cartel.
A political storm erupted on Wednesday after radio station La FM released excerpt of testimonies by William Rodriguez, son of Cali Cartel kingpin Miguel Rodriguez, implicating the former minister in the “process 8000” scandal over the cartel’s financing of former President Ernesto Samper’s successful 1994 campaign.
MORE: Colombia’s former interior minister’s run for Senate stained by Cali cartel ties investigation
Prosecutor General Eduardo Montealegre subsequently announced that his office will not be investigating Serpa, claiming it is up to the Supreme Court to decide whether an investigation or charge should be brought against the politician.
William Rodriguez had alleged that Serpa had met with the Cali Cartel on three occasions to discuss the financing of Ernesto Samper’s presidential campaign in 1994.
La FM had previously published parts of Rodriguez testimonies, but decided to run the story again on the same day as the launch of the liberal politician’s 2014 campaign.
MORE: Cali Cartel Gave $10M To Samper’s Presidential Campaign: Cartel Executive
