Colombia's President Denies Receiving Drug Money for Campaign

In reaction to an intercepted phone conversation, Colombia's President Ivan Duque Friday denied that drug trafficker Jose Hernandez (aka "Ñeñe") had financed his 2018 presidential campaign.

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"I never asked Mr. Hernandez for any resources for my campaign. Nor are there contributions from Mr. Hernandez to my campaign... I never knew there were investigations against him," Duque said.

Nevertheless, the far-right politician acknowledged that he met the deceased drug trafficker's parents on a trip he made to Valledupar city in 1995, which was his "first and only visit."

"I did not meet Jose Hernandez on that occasion but in a few public meetings carried out over the last four years. I did not develop with him 'a brotherhood’ as they say,” the Colombian president argued.

Regarding the photographs of their alleged "close friendship", Duque said that he has "photos with many people. The photos posted with Mr. Hernandez were at public events." 

In exchange for what Neñe Hernandez’s trucks, posters, and volunteers campaigned for Duque in La Guajira and Cesar? In the Ñeñe Hernandez’s Instagram account are the characters. Did he work for free in the campaign?

In a phone conversation intercepted by the judicial authorities, Ñeñe Hernandez says he contributed about US$300,000 to Duque's presidential campaign.

In this regard, the Colombian President holds that he has not authorized anyone to use his name to request or grant political favors.

"If there is someone who has used my name to traffic influences, then let it go public because I have nothing to hide," he alleges.

News on illegal contributions to right-wing campaigns occurs amidst the vote-buying scandal revealed by former lawmaker Aida Merlano, who is a fugitive the Colombian state would not seem to be interested in extraditing.