Colombian Leader Linked To Drug Money Jailed Official Claims Samper Knew Campaign Funds Came From Cali Cartel

In an explosive new turn in Colombia’s political crisis, the jailed chief of President Ernesto Samper’s 1994 election bid said Monday the president knew the campaign took money from the Cali drug cartel.

The comments by Fernando Botero, a former defense minister, are a severe blow to Samper, who has been plagued by suspicions his campaign took millions of dollars from the world’s largest supplier of cocaine.

“He knew. It’s the truth. He knew,” Botero told the television news program CMI. “It’s a central fact. He is very seriously compromised.”

Samper has said if any drug money filtered into his campaign, it happened behind his back.

RCN radio said Samper was in an emergency meeting with ministers Monday night, presumably discussing Botero’s comments.

Botero said he noticed “suspicious” people, conversations and meetings taking place during the final stretches of the campaign. He said he himself was not responsible for accepting or distributing cartel money, but was detained in August because he failed to report what he saw.

“The country is in an extremely grave crisis” because of the scandal, Botero said. He said he decided to tell the truth about the campaign because he wanted to clear his conscience and help the country move forward.

“At first, I (didn’t talk because) I thought it would be too catastrophic for the country to bring down or destabilize the government,” Botero said.

In December, a congressional commission dropped an investigation of Samper and his campaign, citing a lack of evidence. But U.S. officials had predicted a coverup. Most commission members belonged to Samper’s ruling Liberal Party and some were under investigation for for drug corruption.