Colombia's Electoral Authorities Launch Probe Into President Duque's 2018 Campaign

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2020) Colombia's National Electoral Council (CNE) has launched a preliminary investigation into incumbent President Ivan Duque's 2018 election campaign over suspected fraud.

The CNE's special commission will investigate an "alleged violation of electoral norms in connection with campaign financing for the constitutional period of 2018-2022," the communique read.

A list of suspects has already been drawn up to include Nubia Stella Martinez, the head of Duque's Democratic Center political party, who was overheard saying she had received $300,000 from the Venezuelan billionaire businessman Oswaldo Cisneros during the president's 2018 campaign. The transcript was received by the Colombian prosecution services.

Another suspect is former Colombian lawmaker Aida Merlano, who fled to Venezuela after being sentenced to 15 years for electoral fraud and the illegal possession of weapons. According to Merlano, Duque was also involved in corruption, electoral fraud and vote trafficking during the second round of the presidential campaign.

The Colombian prosecutor's office and the parliament's indictment chamber had previously launched an investigation into Merlano's claims.