Nicolas Petro, the son of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, was apprehended as part of an ongoing inquiry into money laundering and illicit enrichment, announced the attorney general’s office early on Saturday.

Nicolas Petro, who is a politician representing Atlantico province, had initially welcomed the investigation when it was initiated in March. He had vehemently denied accusations of accepting money from drug traffickers in exchange for facilitating their inclusion in his father’s peace efforts to resolve civil unrest.

Footage from Colombian media displayed both President Gustavo Petro’s son and another individual, Vasquez, being escorted by security agents in armored vehicles and motorcycles, en route to a government plane.

In response to the developments, President Gustavo Petro conveyed his feelings about having one of his children incarcerated, acknowledging the pain it brings. However, he emphasized that the attorney general’s office should be allowed to proceed in accordance with the law, assuring that no intervention or pressure from his side would influence the process.

President Petro’s administration has been dedicated to pursuing peace agreements and reconciliation with rebel groups and crime syndicates as a means to end Colombia’s 60-year-long internal conflict, which has tragically claimed the lives of approximately 450,000 individuals.

During his first year in office, these peace efforts have yielded mixed results. While negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group led to a forthcoming ceasefire scheduled for August, attempts to engage in dialogue with the major crime gang, the Clan del Golfo, have faced obstacles due to ongoing violence.

Furthermore, a proposed law aimed at regulating crime group surrenders, offering reduced sentences in exchange for valuable information and restorative work, has encountered severe criticism, including from the attorney general.

As the investigation progresses, the attorney general’s office plans to formally charge Nicolas Petro and Vasquez and request liberty restriction measures from the judge overseeing the case. The office issued a statement confirming its intent to proceed with charges related to the mentioned crimes.

Source: With Agencies