Petro lanzó ácida respuesta a Pastrana relacionada con Epstein tras asegurar que se robó la Presidencia: “Miembro del club”

President Gustavo Petro addressed accusations made by former president Andrés Pastrana on his X account. The former head of state alleged that Petro ascended to the country’s highest office through purported irregular actions.

Pastrana’s accusation is linked to the National Electoral Council’s (CNE) decision to uphold the sanction placed on the “Petro-Presidente” 2022 campaign for breaching funding limits.

You can now follow us on Facebook and our WhatsApp Channel

“You stole the presidency @petrogustavo,” Pastrana stated, although the head of state maintains that there was no violation of funding limits during his campaign.

Petro replied to the former president with a brief message referencing a scandal currently under scrutiny nationally and internationally: his mention in declassified files by the U.S. Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein, the American tycoon who led a network of human trafficking and sexual abuse of minors that implicated prominent global political figures and various celebrities.

While Pastrana appears in the files, there has been no evidence to show he was aware of Epstein’s crimes or implicated in any sexual violence cases. Nevertheless, in Colombia, politicians and women are demanding answers, including President Petro:

“You will face the courts to prove it, member of the Epstein club,” he posted on social media.

The Jeffrey Epstein case sparked global outrage, and Pastrana has faced criticism and scrutiny regarding his involvement, especially considering he stated in a Caracol Radio interview that he did travel on Epstein’s planes. However, he clarified that minors were never present on any of those flights.

“I met Epstein in a meeting with President Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev; he approached me in Ireland (in 2002) when I was receiving an award (…). After that (Epstein) began to keep in touch with me, but we were never involved in parties or anything of the sort, he simply once expressed interest in meeting Fidel Castro, and I mentioned the possibility of going to Cuba,” Pastrana explained in an interview with the cited media.

However, in more recent statements on his X account, he claimed he never flew on the sex offender’s plane and that he also did not visit an island owned by Epstein where numerous sexual violence incidents reported by victims occurred.

He insisted that he was unaware of the criminal behavior of the financier, who committed suicide while incarcerated.

“To my wife, daughters, granddaughters, and the public, I have always made it clear that I had no knowledge or relationship with the horrific crimes that are now causing worldwide scandal. This should have been stated; my family and those who know me would agree. I have reiterated numerous times that I never flew on the infamous plane nor visited the infamous island,” he affirmed.

Despite his explanations, dozens of women, including the Human Rights Defender, Iris Marín, have called for timely investigations into these matters concerning Pastrana. She stated that it is the state’s duty to conduct such inquiries.

“In the Human Rights Defender’s Office, we join the call of 109 women writers, journalists, lawyers, academics, and officials demanding transparency regarding the mentions of former President Andrés Pastrana in the Epstein files. Silence is not an option when the rights of girls, boys, and adolescents are at stake,” the official emphasized.

Furthermore, she asserted that individuals allegedly connected to crimes against children must provide clear explanations to the public.

“Anyone who has maintained ties with individuals convicted or investigated for sexual exploitation of minors, especially girls and women, has an obligation to be accountable to society,” she added.