Nicolás Petro Explained

Nicolás Petro
Office:Member of the Departmental Assembly of Atlántico
Term Start:January 1, 2019
Term End:August 8, 2023
Birth Name:Nicolás Fernando Petro Burgos
Birth Date:1985 or 1986
Birth Place:Ciénaga de Oro, Córdoba, Colombia
Party:Humane Colombia
Spouse:Daysuris Vásquez
Parents:Gustavo Petro
Katia Burgos

Nicolás Fernando Petro Burgos (born June 21, 1986) is a former Colombian politician and the son of president Gustavo Petro.

Early life

Nicolás Fernando Petro Burgos was born in .[1] He is the eldest[2] son of then M-19 guerrilla group member Gustavo Petro. He grew up in the coastal Córdoba Department, raised by his mother and her wealthy parents, while his father spent time in prison and also in hiding.[3]

Personal life

In 2016, Petro started a relationship with government contractor Daysuris Vásquez.[4] They married in a civil ceremony in 2019 and formally married in 2022. Months later, the couple separated after Vásquez accused Petro of an extramarital affair with her closest friend.

Career and legal issues

He came second in the election to be the Atlántico Department governor a move that made him a deputy in[5] the Departmental Assembly.[6] [7] [8]

Money laundering scandal

The money laundering scandal began when Nicolás Petro's ex-wife Day Vásquez assured to different media that Nicolás had received illegal money qualified by them as dark money coming from people who in the past had sustained links with drug trafficking, Vásquez assured that he asked them for the money saying that it was for Gustavo Petro's presidential campaign of 2022, but finally those resources were kept by Nicolás and he already had plans.[9] [10]

Later, the Attorney General's Office opened a disciplinary investigation against Nicolás for alleged money laundering.[11] On July 29, 2023,[12] Petro and Vásquez were arrested while being accused of money laundering and illegal enrichment.[13] President Petro had invited the investigation into his son,[14] which commenced in March 2023. On August 1, 2023, Petro pled not guilty to the charges.[15] After agreeing to cooperate with investigators,[16] he was released on house arrest the same week.

Notes and References

  1. News: Vargas . Carlos . 2023-08-04 . Son of Colombia's president admits illegal money entered election campaign, prosecutor says . en . Reuters . 2023-08-05.
  2. News: Salcedo . Andrea . 2023-07-30 . Son of Colombian president arrested for alleged money laundering . en-US . Washington Post . 2023-07-30 . 0190-8286.
  3. Web site: Lewin . Juan Esteban . 2023-08-14 . Nicolás Petro and Daysuris Vásquez: The couple that rocked the Colombian government . 2023-09-05 . EL PAÍS English . en.
  4. Web site: Semana . 2023-07-11 . El patrimonio, propiedades, compras con tarjeta de crédito y millonarios gastos. El peritaje que enredaría a Nicolás Petro . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230711185213/https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/el-patrimonio-propiedades-compras-con-tarjeta-de-credito-y-millonarios-gastos-el-peritaje-que-enredaria-a-nicolas-petro/202342/ . 2023-07-11 . 2023-07-29 . . spanish.
  5. Web site: Judge grants conditional freedom for son of Colombian president . 2023-08-06 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
  6. Web site: Mendonca . Stefano Pozzebon,Duarte . 2023-07-30 . Colombian president's son arrested in money laundering probe . 2023-07-30 . CNN . en.
  7. News: 2023-07-29 . Colombian president's son arrested in money laundering probe . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-07-29 . 2023-07-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729141325/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-66349570 . live .
  8. News: 10 April 2021 . Nicolás Petro presenta proyectos integrales para Jóvenes en el Atlántico . . 29 July 2023 . 11 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411091347/https://diariolalibertad.com/sitio/2021/04/10/nicolas-petro-presenta-proyectos-integrales-para-jovenes-en-el-atlantico/ . live .
  9. News: Jaimes Osorio . Camilo Andrés . March 3, 2023 . Los dineros que tienen enredado a Nicolás Petro: quería comprar casa de $1.600 millones . rcnradio.com . July 30, 2023.
  10. Web site: July 30, 2023 . La historia detrás de la captura de Nicolás Petro, hijo del presidente . July 30, 2023 . portafolio.co.
  11. News: Espitia . Diego . March 2, 2023 . Procuraduría abre investigación contra Nicolás Petro . rcnradio.com . March 3, 2023.
  12. Web site: Colombian president’s son arrested in money laundering probe . 2023-07-29 . www.aljazeera.com . en . 2023-07-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729163455/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/29/colombian-presidents-son-arrested-in-money-laundering-probe . live .
  13. Web site: Semana . 2023-07-29 . Carlos Antonio Vélez y su fuerte ‘vainazo’ al presidente Petro tras la detención de su hijo . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729232006/https://www.semana.com/deportes/articulo/carlos-antonio-velez-y-su-fuerte-vainazo-al-presidente-petro-tras-la-detencion-de-su-hijo/202343/ . 2023-07-29 . 2023-07-29 . . spanish.
  14. News: Madina . Oscar . 2023-03-03 . Colombia’s President Asks Prosecutors to Investigate His Own Son . en . Bloomberg.com . 2023-07-29 . 2023-07-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729232007/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-03/colombian-president-asks-prosecutors-to-investigate-his-son-nicolas-petro . live .
  15. News: 2023-08-01 . Son of Colombia's president pleads not guilty to money laundering charges . en . Reuters . 2023-08-02.
  16. Web site: 4 Aug 2023 . Colombian president’s son ‘won’t last’ in jail, defence lawyer warns . 2023-08-06 . www.aljazeera.com . en.

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