Colombia’s Finance Minister, Ricardo Bonilla, has resigned in the face of an expanding corruption investigation that threatens to undermine the reform agenda of President Gustavo Petro’s leftist government. Bonilla, who denies any wrongdoing, stepped down following allegations of fund mismanagement within the country’s disaster risk agency.
In his resignation letter, widely circulated by Colombian media, Bonilla defended his integrity while expressing respect for the attorney-general’s ongoing investigation. “I did not buy silence, nor votes from congressmen... nor did I commit any crime for personal gain,” he stated.
Despite defending Bonilla’s loyalty to the government’s program, President Petro announced the appointment of Diego Guevara, the current finance vice minister and a former university professor, as Bonilla’s replacement. Speaking on X (formerly Twitter), Petro said, “I expect his resignation, not because I think he is guilty, but because they want to tear him apart for being loyal to the government programme.”
Bonilla’s resignation marks the second high-profile departure linked to corruption allegations in Petro’s administration. In July, the country’s intelligence chief, a close ally of the president, resigned amid accusations of bribing parliamentary leaders to expedite legislative approval.
The scandal comes at a critical time for President Petro, whose ambitious reform agenda—including economic restructuring and social programs—faces mounting political resistance. Critics fear the controversies surrounding key government figures could derail efforts to implement these reforms.
Diego Guevara’s promotion to finance minister reflects Petro’s intention to maintain continuity in his economic policies despite the challenges posed by the scandal. However, the political fallout could intensify as investigations into government corruption continue.
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