He's a criminal of the worst kind. They want him to buy votes.
En la recta final hacia la segunda vuelta presidencial colombiana, el candidato opositor Abelardo de la Espriella ha convertido una reunión en el palacio presidencial en el centro de una acusación mayor: que el ministro del Interior Armando Benedetti abandonaría su cargo para coordinar la compra masiva de votos en la costa Caribe en favor de Iván Cepeda. La denuncia, que invoca organizaciones criminales, decenas de miles de millones de pesos y la intervención de autoridades estadounidenses, revela cuánto puede pesar la sombra de la desconfianza institucional cuando una democracia se acerca a su momento más decisivo.
- De la Espriella afirma que Benedetti fue convocado a Casa de Nariño para planear su salida del gobierno y asumir la coordinación de una operación de compra de votos a gran escala en la costa Caribe.
- El candidato señala la participación del clan Torres y la asignación de 60 mil millones de pesos, presentando estos elementos no como sospechas sino como hechos ya en marcha.
- La acusación sacude el ambiente electoral en un momento en que de la Espriella lidera las encuestas por 7,7 puntos, convirtiendo la denuncia también en un movimiento estratégico para consolidar su imagen como defensor de la integridad democrática.
- Ante lo que describe como lentitud de las instituciones colombianas, el candidato anunció que elevará una comunicación formal a autoridades estadounidenses para solicitar investigaciones y la inclusión de los implicados en la Lista Clinton.
- La incertidumbre persiste: Benedetti no ha confirmado su renuncia ni su ingreso a la campaña de Cepeda, pero de la Espriella ya ha trazado el relato que usará sin importar lo que ocurra.
En los días previos a la segunda vuelta presidencial, Abelardo de la Espriella lanzó acusaciones de alto voltaje contra el ministro del Interior Armando Benedetti, a quien señaló de estar preparando una operación de compra de votos en la costa Caribe para beneficiar la campaña de Iván Cepeda. El detonante fue una reunión en el palacio presidencial entre el presidente Petro y Benedetti, cuya existencia fue reconocida por el propio Ministerio del Interior, aunque sin confirmar sus conclusiones.
De la Espriella no se limitó a cuestionar la reunión: describió a Benedetti como un operador electoral cuyo único valor para cualquier campaña reside en su capacidad de comprar votos, y lo vinculó a prácticas que, según él, ya habrían sido utilizadas en las elecciones de 2022. Afirmó que la operación involucraría al clan Torres y que contaría con 60 mil millones de pesos, hablando con una certeza que presentaba el esquema como un hecho consumado.
El contexto electoral amplifica el peso de estas palabras. Con una ventaja de 7,7 puntos en las encuestas —50,3 % frente a 42,6 % de Cepeda—, de la Espriella eligió posicionarse como guardián de la democracia frente a lo que calificó como un asalto coordinado al proceso electoral por parte de la coalición progresista.
Ante la desconfianza en las instituciones nacionales, el candidato anunció que presentará una comunicación formal ante autoridades de Estados Unidos, solicitando investigaciones y la aplicación de la Lista Clinton a los políticos involucrados, lo que implicaría la revocación de visas para ellos y sus familias. Encuadró este paso no como injerencia extranjera, sino como un recurso legítimo ante la magnitud del fraude que denuncia.
El desenlace sigue abierto: Benedetti no ha confirmado su salida del gobierno ni su incorporación a la campaña rival. Pero de la Espriella ya ha construido un relato que le permite reclamar vindicación si el ministro renuncia, y escalar las acusaciones si permanece en su cargo.
In the final stretch before Colombia's presidential runoff, opposition candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has leveled explosive allegations against Interior Minister Armando Benedetti, accusing him of orchestrating a vote-buying operation on behalf of rival Iván Cepeda. The accusations emerged after reports that President Gustavo Petro had summoned Benedetti to the presidential palace to discuss his potential departure from government and entry into Cepeda's campaign.
While the presidential office has not officially confirmed the meeting, the Interior Ministry acknowledged it took place and indicated that Benedetti was considering the proposal. De la Espriella seized on this development to launch a sustained attack on the minister's character and alleged methods. He described Benedetti as a criminal operative whose sole value to any campaign lies in his capacity to purchase votes rather than offer strategic or intellectual contribution. The candidate characterized him as abusive toward women and suggested his recruitment was motivated entirely by his track record in illicit electoral practices.
According to de la Espriella, Benedetti's assignment would be to conduct large-scale vote-buying in Colombia's Caribbean coast region, replicating tactics allegedly deployed during Petro's successful 2022 campaign. The candidate claimed the operation would involve criminal organizations, specifically naming the Torres clan, and alleged that 60 billion pesos had already been allocated for the scheme. De la Espriella presented these claims as established fact rather than speculation, speaking as though the operation were already underway.
The timing of these accusations carries weight in the electoral context. Current polling shows de la Espriella leading Cepeda by 7.7 percentage points—50.3 percent to 42.6 percent—heading into the runoff vote. By making these allegations public, de la Espriella positioned himself as the defender of electoral integrity against what he characterized as a coordinated assault on democratic processes by the progressive coalition.
De la Espriella announced he would escalate his accusations beyond Colombian institutions, requesting intervention from the United States government. He called on American authorities to investigate the alleged vote-buying operation and to place any politicians involved on the Clinton List—a sanctions designation that results in visa revocations for the individuals and their family members. He framed this appeal as necessary given what he described as delays and inadequacies in Colombian investigations.
The candidate stated he would submit a formal communication to U.S. authorities containing specific names and details, suggesting he possesses documentation of the alleged scheme. He characterized the move as support for Colombian democracy rather than foreign interference, arguing that the gravity of the alleged fraud justified seeking external oversight. His rhetoric implied confidence that American scrutiny would deter participation in the operation or, failing that, would impose consequences on those involved.
De la Espriella's accusations rest on the assumption that Benedetti will indeed resign from his ministerial position, though the minister has not confirmed this. The candidate spoke as though the resignation were inevitable, a foregone conclusion driven by the purposes he was denouncing. Whether Benedetti accepts Cepeda's campaign offer remains uncertain, but de la Espriella has already positioned himself to claim vindication if the minister departs government, and to escalate accusations if he does not.
Notable Quotes
Benedetti is being called because he is a vote-buyer, not because he is intelligent or a good strategist. He is called because he is a criminal of the worst kind.— Abelardo de la Espriella
I am requesting the U.S. government verify this situation so that politicians participating in this vote-buying operation are included on the Clinton List and have their visas and their families' visas revoked.— Abelardo de la Espriella
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would Petro want Benedetti to leave the Interior Ministry right now, in the middle of a campaign?
Because Benedetti has a reputation—whether earned or not—for being able to move votes in the Caribbean region. That's where the runoff will likely be decided. Cepeda needs someone who can operate in that space.
De la Espriella is claiming this is criminal. Is he just making noise, or does he have evidence?
He says he has names and details he'll send to the U.S. government. But right now, what we're seeing is accusation, not proof. The question is whether American authorities take it seriously enough to investigate.
Why invoke the United States at all? Why not just go to Colombian courts?
Because he's signaling that Colombian institutions might not move fast enough—or might not move at all if the government controls them. The U.S. threat is real: visa revocations hurt. That's leverage.
Does de la Espriella actually believe this, or is he playing politics?
Probably both. He's leading in the polls, so he has an incentive to keep Cepeda on his heels. But the allegations about vote-buying in the Caribbean aren't invented—that's a known pattern in Colombian politics. Whether Benedetti is involved is the open question.
What happens if Benedetti doesn't resign?
Then de la Espriella looks like he was making unfounded accusations. But if Benedetti does resign and joins Cepeda's campaign, de la Espriella will claim he predicted exactly what was going to happen—and that will reshape how voters see the runoff.