Defence of Roberto Prieto, former campaign manager of Juan Manuel Santos, called for the definitive archive of the process

The legal team representing Roberto Prieto, former manager of the campaign of former President Juan Manuel Santos, has formally requested the "definitive closure" of the ongoing investigation against him. The request was submitted to the Coordinating Unit of Delegated Prosecutions before the Supreme Court of Justice, following a prolonged legal process that has spanned nearly three and a half years. The case centers around allegations that Prieto failed to disclose funds received from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht during the 2014 presidential campaign. This issue has been central to the charges of illicit enrichment and procedural fraud brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The hearing originally scheduled for the imputation of charges against Prieto was indefinitely postponed. In response to the defense's petition, the prosecutor’s office has ordered a restructuring of its investigative team. The defense, led by attorney Jesús Albeiro Yepes, argues that the current evidence does not support the continuation of the criminal proceedings. They have called for the formation of a Technical Legal Committee to reassess all technical elements presented in the case. According to the defense, this committee should determine whether the legal and evidentiary foundations justify continuing the prosecution or whether the case should instead be closed. The defense claims that the existing evidence fails to establish the objective typicity of the alleged offenses committed by Prieto. They argue that subjecting him to a formal hearing would violate due process and could expose the Attorney General’s office to potential civil liability for judicial error. The request for a definitive closure of the investigation is based on the belief that there is insufficient merit to proceed with the charge of imputation. The defense also emphasizes that the legal team must review the entire file to ensure that the process adheres to proper standards. A key point of contention involves the timing of the contract signed between Odebrecht and Paddington Ventures, the firm responsible for conducting public opinion research ahead of the 2014 elections. The defense asserts that Prieto joined the campaign on March 4, 2014—more than a month after the disputed contract was signed, and therefore had no involvement in its execution. This argument challenges the core of the charges against him, which rely heavily on the circumstances surrounding the contract. Additionally, the defense points to the positive evaluation issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE) regarding the financial reports of Santos' campaign. They argue that since no irregularities were found in these reports, there is no basis for accusing Prieto of illicit enrichment. The defense maintains that the evidence available does not substantiate the accusations of wrongdoing. The Public Prosecutor’s Office will now evaluate the defense’s request and decide whether to continue the legal proceedings or close the case. If the request is accepted, the investigation into Prieto will effectively end. Otherwise, the process will resume, potentially leading to further legal action. The outcome of this decision will have significant implications for both the individual and the broader context of corruption investigations linked to Odebrecht in Colombia.