Colombia-Samper Scandal
12-08-1995
^By ANDREW SELSKY=
^Associated Press Writer=
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) _ Opposition leaders are dismissing a congressional commission's probe of President Ernesto Samper's alleged drug-cartel contributions as a farce _ and the commission's decision isn't even in yet.
The panel must decide by Thursday whether to drop proceedings against Samper, whose 1994 election campaign has been accused of accepting more than $6 million from the Cali cartel, the world's largest cocaine syndicate.
The commission also could recommend a full-scale House investigation that could lead to the first impeachment of a civilian president in Colombia's history.
Many diplomats, politicians and the president's lawyer all believe the House Commission of Accusations _ led by a congressman formerly on Samper's campaign payroll _ will throw out the case.
"O.J. Samper" read a banner headline in the opposition newspaper La Prensa, predicting a verdict in Samper's favor.
"It's all been a farce _ a setup to cover the responsibility of the president in taking drug money into his campaign," Enrique Parejo, a former justice minister and anti-drug crusader, said Friday.
Even if congressional investigators recommend the probe be shelved, the pressure against Samper will continue.
Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso is continuing his own investigation, which has resulted in the arrests of three of Samper's top campaign officials.
Furthermore, the United States continues to have doubts about Colombia's fight against drug trafficking. By U.S. law, if President Clinton believes the Colombian government is involved with drug traffickers, he must cut U.S. aid to Colombia.
And if Colombia slips deeper into recession because of the political instability, Colombia's industrial giants may exert behind-the-scenes pressure for Samper's departure.
The Samper administration is already preparing the groundwork for the commission's verdict.
Sources in the presidential palace say Samper will reshuffle his Cabinet, giving some positions to representatives of industry and opposition groups. The move is apparently aimed at giving those groups a greater stake in the government and blunting any effort they might make to oust him.
Samper has also called for all the evidence compiled in secret by the commission to be discussed openly by Congress after the verdict.
"This could help clear any doubts about the way the commission conducted its probe, bringing everything out into the light," said Luis Guillermo Cano, publisher of El Espectador, a leading Colombian newspaper.
However, Congress can't change the commission's verdict. Samper's Liberal Party holds a majority in Congress, many of whose members are themselves being investigated for alleged links to drug traffickers.
Rep. Heyne Mogollon, a Liberal who heads the 15-member Commission of Accusations, accepted at least $1,200 from the Samper campaign last year to promote the candidate. Mogollon refused to disqualify himself from the probe, saying there was no conflict of interest.
Campaign treasurer Santiago Medina, one of the three arrested campaign officials, said he accepted with Samper's knowledge more than $6 million in donations from the Cali cartel.
Samper, who ordered an offensive against the cartel this year, has denied knowing about any illegal campaign financing. In testimony to the commission, published in local papers Friday, Samper said Medina was lying.
^By ANDREW SELSKY=
^Associated Press Writer=
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) _ Opposition leaders are dismissing a congressional commission's probe of President Ernesto Samper's alleged drug-cartel contributions as a farce _ and the commission's decision isn't even in yet.
The panel must decide by Thursday whether to drop proceedings against Samper, whose 1994 election campaign has been accused of accepting more than $6 million from the Cali cartel, the world's largest cocaine syndicate.
The commission also could recommend a full-scale House investigation that could lead to the first impeachment of a civilian president in Colombia's history.
Many diplomats, politicians and the president's lawyer all believe the House Commission of Accusations _ led by a congressman formerly on Samper's campaign payroll _ will throw out the case.
"O.J. Samper" read a banner headline in the opposition newspaper La Prensa, predicting a verdict in Samper's favor.
"It's all been a farce _ a setup to cover the responsibility of the president in taking drug money into his campaign," Enrique Parejo, a former justice minister and anti-drug crusader, said Friday.
Even if congressional investigators recommend the probe be shelved, the pressure against Samper will continue.
Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso is continuing his own investigation, which has resulted in the arrests of three of Samper's top campaign officials.
Furthermore, the United States continues to have doubts about Colombia's fight against drug trafficking. By U.S. law, if President Clinton believes the Colombian government is involved with drug traffickers, he must cut U.S. aid to Colombia.
And if Colombia slips deeper into recession because of the political instability, Colombia's industrial giants may exert behind-the-scenes pressure for Samper's departure.
The Samper administration is already preparing the groundwork for the commission's verdict.
Sources in the presidential palace say Samper will reshuffle his Cabinet, giving some positions to representatives of industry and opposition groups. The move is apparently aimed at giving those groups a greater stake in the government and blunting any effort they might make to oust him.
Samper has also called for all the evidence compiled in secret by the commission to be discussed openly by Congress after the verdict.
"This could help clear any doubts about the way the commission conducted its probe, bringing everything out into the light," said Luis Guillermo Cano, publisher of El Espectador, a leading Colombian newspaper.
However, Congress can't change the commission's verdict. Samper's Liberal Party holds a majority in Congress, many of whose members are themselves being investigated for alleged links to drug traffickers.
Rep. Heyne Mogollon, a Liberal who heads the 15-member Commission of Accusations, accepted at least $1,200 from the Samper campaign last year to promote the candidate. Mogollon refused to disqualify himself from the probe, saying there was no conflict of interest.
Campaign treasurer Santiago Medina, one of the three arrested campaign officials, said he accepted with Samper's knowledge more than $6 million in donations from the Cali cartel.
Samper, who ordered an offensive against the cartel this year, has denied knowing about any illegal campaign financing. In testimony to the commission, published in local papers Friday, Samper said Medina was lying.
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