Petro Calls on Guerrero Sisters to Denounce Alleged Corruptors

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly addressed a brewing corruption scandal involving two young women, Juliana and Verónica Guerrero, whom a recent Semana magazine investigation accused of facilitating payments from businessmen in exchange for access to government contracts at the Housing and Interior ministries. In a social media post, Petro urged the sisters to file formal complaints against the businessmen and to return any money they may have received, saying they should “collaborate with justice.” He stressed that neither Juliana nor Verónica Guerrero holds any official position in his government, and he maintained that his administration erected “barriers against corruption” that prevented any deals from being completed. Petro also made personal comments, defending his political support for women and rejecting any suggestion of romantic involvement, while lamenting that Juliana Guerrero “could have been a great transformative youth leader” had she not been drawn into the “traditional world of power.”

The Semana investigation included chat logs, audio recordings, flight tickets and bank transfer receipts that allegedly document a scheme in which intermediaries solicited payments ranging from $150,000 to $400,000 to help secure government contracts. The revelations have put pressure on the outgoing president to account for how the alleged scheme operated so close to his inner circle, even if no direct link to Petro himself has been established. The president’s anguished but defiant tone — mixing appeals to denounce and reflecting on beauty, loyalty and the “dirty money” that he says cements Colombia's oligarchy — has drawn mixed reactions. Some see a genuine commitment to clean government; others view it as an attempt to distance himself from a scandal that could tarnish his progressive legacy just as he leaves office.

Where This Leaves Gustavo Petro and His Anti-Corruption Legacy

What the Semana Report Reveals

The magazine's investigation points to a classic pay-for-access model, where businessmen seeking contracts were urged to pay intermediaries with connections to at least two ministries. While no direct link to President Petro has surfaced, the involvement of the Guerrero sisters — one of whom was once seen as a rising political figure aligned with the progressive cause — has raised questions about who, exactly, in the government might have been aware of the lobbying.

Petro's Defense: A Mix of Deflection and Ideology

Petro's response is characteristic of his public style: personal, philosophical and deliberately distancing. By calling on the sisters to denounce the businessmen and return any money, he positions himself as an opponent of corruption while also offloading responsibility onto the individuals themselves. His assertion that his government “built barriers” contradicts the allegation that a pay-to-play environment existed at all, yet he did not directly address whether any officials facilitated the scheme. The digression into his views on beauty and loyalty appears aimed at reinforcing his image as a principled outsider, even as the scandal touches him.

For a president who campaigned on rooting out the “dirty money” from Colombian politics, the episode — surfacing in his final weeks — is an unwelcome capstone. It provides ammunition to critics who accuse his administration of hypocrisy on corruption, while also creating a messy handover for the incoming government, which will likely face pressure to investigate.

For Colombia: The Corruption Case to Watch

The allegations, now public, put the case in the hands of Colombian authorities and the next government. Key points to watch:

  • If Juliana and Verónica Guerrero follow Petro's advice and file formal denunciations, the Attorney General's Office will have to decide whether to open a criminal investigation into the businessmen and any public servants who may have been involved.
  • The next administration, under a new president, will inherit any ongoing procurement audits and could face political pressure to revisit contracts awarded during Petro's term for signs of improper influence.
  • The scandal may prompt calls in Congress for tighter anti-corruption measures, though significant legislative action is unlikely until after the handover.