Bogotá, Colombia: Former Sports Minister Maria Isabel Urrutia is set to stand trial for her alleged involvement in the “express contracting” controversy, the General Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday. The accusation concerns irregularities in awarding 104 contracts during her final days in office.
Accused of Fast-Tracking Contracts:
Urrutia, who resigned at the behest of President Gustavo Petro in March 2023, faces charges of “contracting without meeting legal requirements.” Prosecutors allege she hastily signed 104 contracts without proper justification or a transparent selection process.
Favoring Associates?
Investigators suspect the contracts, executed between March 2 and 6, 2023, were intended to benefit individuals affiliated with Urrutia. Many of these contracts were allegedly signed with the promise of extension beyond her term, disregarding usual procedure. The accusation document states that Urrutia should have waited for her successor, Astrid Bibiana Rodríguez, to assess and approve any necessary contract extensions. “The correct thing would have been to wait,” the document emphasizes, “and for her successor to assess the need to continue, extend, terminate, or, if necessary, make addendums to the contracts.”
The Ministry of Sports argued that extending these contracts was necessary for operational continuity. However, prosecutors countered that with over 800 other existing contracts, prioritizing these 104 raises suspicion.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office initially filed charges against Urrutia in June 2023 after it emerged that the original four-month contracts were terminated and replaced with longer ones extending to December. This action, seemingly taken just before Urrutia’s departure, fueled concerns about bypassing procurement rules.
In February of 2023, President Petro publicly stated that Urrutia “acted improperly” with public funds concerning the contract issue. Responding to the trial summons, Urrutia told Caracol Radio that the charges are unfair as she was still the minister when the contracts were signed. She asserts that the individuals hired met all necessary qualifications and that the contracts complied with standard procedures. Notably, she also mentioned signing a total of 350 contracts, citing a need for salary adjustments within the department.
The upcoming trial will determine the validity of the accusations against Urrutia. This case has cast a shadow over her tenure and highlighted concerns about transparency and potential irregularities in public contracting practices. With public scrutiny and legal proceedings underway, the future for the former Olympic medalist remains uncertain.