In a significant development, Rodolfo Hernández, former mayor of Bucaramanga and one-time presidential hopeful in Colombia, has been pronounced guilty of engaging in illicit contracts during his mayoral tenure, as announced by the Attorney General’s Office in a press release on Thursday.
Additionally, it was disclosed that the sentencing for the former official will be disclosed on June 13. While Hernández vehemently denies the allegations levied against him, he took to his social media, formerly Twitter, expressing his acknowledgment of the decision made by the primary criminal court judge while vowing to continue his defense.
“I have never embezzled a single peso from the Mayor’s Office; on the contrary, I fought tirelessly to safeguard the public’s interests. My commitment to justice and life remains unwavering,” Hernández declared. Emotionally addressing the court session held in Bucaramanga, Hernández revealed his ongoing battle with terminal cancer, a revelation he had hinted at in prior statements, emphasizing his determination to undergo interrogation.
In a decisive ruling, the judge upheld the prosecution’s argument, finding Hernández culpable of improper dealings in contract procurement during his tenure in 2016. Specifically, he was found to have granted an irregular contract to the Waste Management Company of Bucaramanga (Emab).
The contract aimed to secure Emab’s consultancy services for waste management in the El Carrasco region, totaling 336 million Colombian pesos, approximately US$ 86,000. Hernández served as mayor of Bucaramanga from 2016 to 2019, later contending in the 2022 presidential elections, where he secured the runner-up position, trailing behind current President Gustavo Petro.