Colombia extends Armando Benedetti’s stay as ambassador to Venezuela until 19 July

(CNN) The Colombian Foreign Ministry has published a decree extending Armando Benedetti’s stay as ambassador to Venezuela until July 19, 2023.

The official tendered his resignation from the post on June 6, which was accepted effective June 23. However, according to the June 20 decree, Benedetti “stated that it is not possible for him to actually deliver the assignment within the initially envisaged period, due to the multiplicity of pending issues which include administrative, budgetary, organizational and implementation issues related to the reopening of the embassy and all those relating to a diplomatic office”.

The ambassador resigned a few days after the publication of some audio attributed to him in the magazine Semana, in which he allegedly threatened to reveal details on the financing of the political campaign that brought President Gustavo Petro to power.

On this, the official also said that there is a campaign that seeks to discredit him, with the aim of disqualifying him on the things he will be able to say in the future.

Benedetti is due to testify on these audios before the attorney general’s office, which is currently investigating whether or not illegal money entered Petro’s presidential campaign in 2022, on a date yet to be determined.

The president denied any irregularities in his campaign, of which he assured that “not a single dirty weight entered”.

You May Also Like