Minister Armando Benedetti defended the use of a police plane by the investigated official and asserted that it was a "national security mission."

The Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation to determine why a police plane was used by government official Juliana Guerrero on June 19. The trip, which was to Valledupar, was questioned by political groups, and its purpose remains a mystery.

The official, who acts as Cabinet coordinator, was defended by President Gustavo Petro during a speech and, now, also by Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, who, according to the president, was the one who sent her to that city, where her family also lives.

The information, revealed by Noticias Uno, revealed that the councilor and her sister, also a government official, were traveling on the plane. The aircraft arrived in Cesar on June 19 and departed the city in the early hours of the 20th. The trip was made on a plane owned by the National Police.

The controversy arose because the families of the two officials live in Valledupar. Furthermore, the aircraft belongs to a different entity than the Ministry of Justice, from which the order was allegedly issued. However , the incident has been justified by President Gustavo Petro and Armando Benedetti.

According to the president, in his speech last Tuesday, July 15, "the minister sent her on an errand that wasn't for her, but for Colombia," referring to a possible official mission Guerrero would be carrying out in Valdupar.

This information was confirmed by Armando Benedetti, Minister of Justice, who allegedly sent her on this trip. According to the official, the commotion stemmed from a "misunderstanding" that will now be clarified, thanks to the investigation announced by the Attorney General's Office in this case.

"So to speak, I agree with the Attorney General's Office's investigation. It will help clarify the misunderstandings that have arisen in the press," he said, supporting the agency's decision and awaiting the results of the investigation in this case.

Regarding the specific trip, he stated that "The question of why a mission was assigned to take place is a matter of security and other matters that remain secret for now until the confidentiality is lifted," without providing further details about what the two officials were allegedly doing on the assignment in this territory.

On the other hand, he questioned the criticism of the use of National Police vehicles by the Ministry he manages. According to him, this is justified by an agreement that has been in place for many years, allowing officials to make these transfers . "It's been going on for more than 15 years, and I don't understand why it's now being criticized," he asserted.

For now, the investigation is progressing, and there are no preliminary conclusions that indicate the real purpose of the two officials' transfer to the Cesar municipality. President Gustavo Petro asserted that "every day, planes leave Colombia, paid for with public money to enrich private assets," and these should also be addressed.

LATEST NEWS EDITORIAL