Colombian military officer investigated for meddling in politics | News
The Colombian Attorney General’s Office communicated this Tuesday the opening of what it calls a preliminary investigation to determine the possible participation in politics of the commander of the National Army, General Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro, after the officer responded on social networks in recent days to the presidential candidate Gustavo Petro.
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At that time, Petro had assured that there were generals allied with the “Gulf Clan”, one of the illegal armed groups, involved in several massacres and assassinations of social leaders and peace signers in the South American country.
Zapateiro responded to the message in the following terms: “Senator, do not use your investiture (parliamentary inviolability) to pretend to engage in politicking with the death of our soldiers, rather comply with your citizen duty of substantiated denunciation before the Attorney General’s Office of the facts you mention, whoever he is”.
That thread on Twitter of the Army commander criticizing a presidential candidate would violate article 127 of the Constitution that prohibits public servants from intervening in electoral politics and, being military, also violates article 219 that states that the Public Force is not deliberative.
Given the political intervention of the @COMANDANTE_EJC I asked the President @IvanDuque, enforce democracy, the constitution and change the military leadership. He justified everything, here is his answer.
The president’s cynicism knows no bounds! pic.twitter.com/P6t9UEuZdV
— Duvalier Representative �� (@DuvalierSanchez)
April 23, 2022
The Public Ministry, after citing Zapateiro’s publications, said that it is necessary to carry out the investigation to verify the occurrence of the conduct, determine if it constitutes a disciplinary offense, and establish if the alleged perpetrator acted within any cause of exclusion of responsibility.
(5) I have not seen any general on television receiving ill-gotten money. Colombians have seen you receive money in a garbage bag.
– Gen. Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro Altamiranda (@COMANDANTE_EJC)
April 22, 2022
This investigation is added to the complaint that was filed yesterday with the Enrique Zapateiro General Prosecutor’s Office in which the complainant requested an investigation for the crimes of intervention in politics and prevarication, because with those publications he would have violated the constitutional order.
