The US investigated “hot money” in campaigns since 1974: Truth Commission

The Truth Commission revealed, after having access to cables from US agencies, that that country was particularly concerned about alleged infiltration of money from the drug trafficking in political campaigns in Colombia since 1974.

“…representatives and agencies expressed serious concern about the level of penetration that these monies could have in the 1974 campaigns, won by Alfonso López Michelsen; that of 1978, won by Julio César Turbay Ayala; and that of 1982, where López Michelsen tried to be re-elected. It is difficult to determine who financed whom, but it is clear that the political and electoral system has known how to promote patronage and a growing electoral corruption” indicates the report of the transitional body.

Even in the ‘Findings and Recommendations’ document, the Commission goes deeper and points out that beyond the 8,000 process, a scandal that involved the government of Ernesto Samper, Foreign agencies investigated alleged drug traffickers, with campaigns prior to 1977.

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“Since 1977, in the cables sent by your embassy to the government of the USA, possible relationships with drug traffickers from presidential campaigns of previous periods were reported and it was suggested that the corruption that was in all sectors and levels of government was the main threat to “the survival of democratic institutions,” detailed the transitional body.

In addition, the Commission indicated that “known drug traffickers from the Cali Poster, which confirmed a frequent relationship and economic support to different politicians, particularly members of Congress, Senators and Representatives of those who gave the Commission the names”.

Additionally, the transitional body found that “Although the issue of drug trafficking corruption in politics was an ethical issue that affected the legitimacy of state authority, it was also used to negotiate agendas by the United States.”

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