Council of State Decrees Political Death of Former President of Colombia’s Senate
Ivan Name Vasquez is one of the Colombian political figures who became involved in the worst corruption scandal of the government of Gustavo Petro: that of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD). His case is even more notable because he was not only elected senator for the 2022-2026 term, but also became president […]
Former Colombian Senate president Ivan Name Vasquez has been declared politically dead by the Council of State in Colombia. This decision stems from his involvement in a corruption scandal related to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) case. Name Vasquez was accused of accepting 3 billion pesos (US$911,000) from Olmedo Lopez and Sneyder Pinilla, the former director and deputy director of UNGRD, respectively.
Additionally, Sandra Ortiz and Carlos Ramon Gonzalez, former officials from the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (DAPRE), were also implicated in the scheme. The funds were allegedly delivered twice – on October 12 and 13, 2023 – and then transferred to Name Vasquez. The Council of State deemed that Name Vasquez's actions constituted an improper exercise of influence, as he allegedly helped process pension reform bills in exchange for the money, which violated parliamentary ethics and democratic representation principles.
Despite appearing to oppose President Petro's government, Name Vasquez's actions ultimately favored the administration's initiatives, especially the pension reform. The court found that Name Vasquez abandoned his duties as president and ceded his authority to Senator Maria Jose Pizarro, which was deemed unworthy of a congressman and in violation of public morality.
As a result, Name Vasquez's investiture was stripped, effectively ending his political career and preventing him from future Congress involvement.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
