A new scandal surrounds the government of President Gustavo Petro, after it became known the large amount of resources that his administration has allocated for the first lady, Verónica Alcocer, to carry out her functions, which would be of a social nature.
“The president violated said provision, Well, being a public servant and acting in the exercise of his functions, he issued a decree in which he designates or names Verónica Alcocer, a person with whom he is linked by marriage, as ambassador on a special mission.which is why the nullity of the first paragraph of this administrative act should be declared,” indicated the control entity.
Given the controversy that arose around this issue, Democratic Center senator Juan Espinal assured that Alcocer has assumed a fairly political role within the national government, something unusual for a first lady.
The congressman, however, pointed out that this role that the sincelejana has been playing does not justify the millionaire expenses she has had in recent months, between cameramen, costumes and makeup.
“The first lady of the nation has assumed a political role, legitimized by President Gustavo Petro and that is a decision that this Government has made. While the first lady may have a to accompany her on her visits abroad, “Nothing justifies that the expense is excessive for the first lady of the nation,” Espinal said.
Regarding whether Petro’s wife is in the presidential campaign, the member of the Democratic Center was emphatic in saying that it would be very serious for Alcocer to be using the public treasury to position herself at an international and national level, emphasizing that she is not a servant of the State.
“Maybe the president gave him a political role, But it is much more serious that she is using public resources to position herself at an international and national level if she is going to be a presidential candidate. I think it is very serious”he added.
Then, he stated: “The question is What is the cause of the wife of President Gustavo Petro? We don’t know her. The cause should not be spending resources on trips abroad, photographers and makeup. We must cite the debate on political control.”
The first lady has never mentioned, until now, her intentions to run for president in the 2026 elections, despite rumors that link her to the next electoral campaign.
It should be remembered that the Presidency and the Chancellery granted Verónica Alcocer commissions and travel expenses for a value close to 60 million pesos for trips registered on September 19, 2022, January 14, 2023 and September 21, 2023. , as if it were an official.
The legal basis for these trips was Decree 035 of January 12, 2023, signed by Álvaro Leyva, in which the first lady was commissioned to travel for two days to the city of Rome, Italy, “in order to attend to the audience that has been granted by His Holiness Pope Francis.”
