Eva Ferrer to Declare Before Prosecutor's Office Over Verónica Alcocer's Links to Drug Trafficking
The Prosecutor's Office summoned Eva Ferrer on 24 and 25 November to expand her accusations against former first lady Verónica Alcocer over alleged links to drug trafficking.
Prosecutor's Office Summons Eva Ferrer Over Accusations Against Verónica Alcocer
The General Prosecutor's Office formally summoned Eva Ferrer to testify under oath on 24 and 25 November, beginning at 8:30 a.m., in the criminal proceedings related to her accusations against Verónica Alcocer, ex-wife of President Gustavo Petro, according to infobae.com.
The proceedings, which will take place over two consecutive days, seek, according to the prosecutor's office, "to gather relevant information for clarifying the facts subject to investigation and to contribute to the proper development of the actions currently being conducted by this office". The action is framed within the alleged offence of "Trafficking, Manufacture or Possession of Narcotics, and others".
Accusations Made Public in Semana
Ferrer's accusations became known on 1 August, when the magazine Semana published a series of audio recordings in which the then former adviser made reference to alleged irregularities within the Petro Government and mentioned the former first lady. In a subsequent interview with the same media outlet, Ferrer expanded on her allegations and accused Alcocer of allegedly heading a structure in which economic interests, political influence and illicit activities would have converged.
One of the most serious accusations involves alleged trips to Venezuela in official aircraft. Ferrer claimed that Alcocer would have used the aircraft assigned to her to transport narcotics and dollars to that country, and maintained that it would not have been a single trip.
During the same interview with Semana, the Spanish citizen indicated that there would be photographs in which Alcocer would appear descending from an aircraft with grey suitcases which, according to her account, would contain drugs. Her statements also included references to congressman Agmeth Escaf, in relation to alleged disputes over the management of resources.
Documents and Evidence in Defence Hands
Following the disclosure of the accusations, Ferrer's lawyer, Jhony Batalla Mena, stated that his client has elements to support her allegations. Among these he mentioned documents, photographs, dates, times of meetings and telephone records. Batalla Mena explained that this material was to be made known to the judicial authorities to remain in the possession of the investigating body.
Background: The Declaration of 3 November
The new summons comes after Ferrer appeared before the Prosecutor's Office on 3 November, although that proceeding was not directly linked to the accusations regarding the transportation of drugs and dollars between Colombia and Venezuela.
On that occasion, the Spanish citizen testified about a visit by businessman Euclides Torres to the Casa de Nariño. According to her testimony, the contractor's entry to the presidential seat would have been registered under her name, as if the meeting had taken place in her office. The proceeding was conducted virtually before Prosecutor's Office 76, attached to the Specialised Directorate Against Corruption, and was in response to a complaint filed by a representative of the Democratic Centre party.
The complaint had as its starting point Ferrer's audio recordings in which references were made to possible irregularities during the Petro Government. Within that framework, the Prosecutor's Office received her version of the facts and the mention of Torres's entry to the presidential seat.
The Businessman and Petro's Campaign in 2022
Torres has been publicly identified for his participation in financing Petro's presidential campaign in 2022. His name appeared in the statements delivered by Nicolás Petro Burgos, the president's son, to the Prosecutor's Office, in which he made reference to alleged contributions related to campaign activities.
The declaration scheduled for late November will allow Ferrer to expand before the investigators the information regarding her accusations against Alcocer, whose scope continues to be subject to judicial scrutiny.
Source: Google News CO — Crime