You don't shoot a colleague in the back: Pachón responds to Gustavo Bolívar for last-minute contracts in the ADR

The Ministry of Agriculture has accused the Rural Development Agency (ADR) of conducting a "marathon of contracts" on Saturday, August 8, 2026, according to reports from local media. The new minister, Indalecio Dangond, claimed that over 250 billion Colombian pesos worth of contracts were processed during the weekend, including a major deal with the National Risk Management Unit (Ungrd) valued at 190 billion pesos. These allegations have sparked controversy, with the outgoing head of the ADR, César Pachón, denying all claims and demanding retractions from the ministry and other critics. According to a resolution issued by the ADR, signed by Pachón, Saturday was declared a working day to expedite administrative tasks, including contractual procedures. The document cited the need to advance "missionary, administrative, budgetary, pre-contractual, contractual, and post-contractual actions." This directive came into effect on August 8, allowing officials to process contracts outside regular business hours. Dangond, who took office after the previous minister, expressed shock at the volume of transactions, stating that the agency had "only processed contracts and wasted public resources." Dangond visited the ADR offices in Bogotá to inspect the situation firsthand. He issued a formal notice to Pachón, urging him to halt further contract signings unless they were deemed urgent. In a direct message to journalists, he warned that Pachón could be declared "insubsistent", a term used to remove someone from their position, for continuing such practices. "I ask you, Mr. Pachón, to refrain from taking any more decisions unless absolutely necessary," Dangond told Noticias RCN. "Because tomorrow I will surely declare you insubsistent." Pachón has publicly rejected these accusations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. On social media, he urged Noticias RCN, the minister, lawmakers, and commentators who have echoed the allegations to retract their statements. "There are many who want to ingratiate themselves with you and bring you gossip," he wrote. "If you believe this, you won’t last a year in your position." Pachón also addressed former leader Gustavo Bolívar, one of the key figures in the opposition coalition, saying, "Do not shoot a colleague from behind, Mr. Bolívar. I think you’re believing everything this incoming government says." The controversy comes amid broader concerns about the misuse of public funds. The Council of State had previously suspended the practice of declaring weekends as working days, citing irregularities in how some administrations had used the policy to accelerate contract approvals. Despite this, the ADR continued its operations under Pachón’s leadership, leading to the current dispute. Other ministries, including the Ministry of Interior, have also paused contract activities, with Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara issuing a directive to halt all non-urgent contracts until August 20. Pachón's career has been marked by his involvement in rural advocacy. He gained national recognition during the 2013 National Agricultural Strike and later served as a representative in Congress for Boyacá before becoming a senator for the Pacto Histórico coalition. However, his Senate tenure was annulled in 2023 due to dual membership in political parties. Since November 2024, he has led the ADR, a role that has placed him at the center of ongoing debates over transparency and accountability in public spending. The situation remains unresolved, with both sides refusing to back down. While Dangond insists on a thorough review of the contracts, Pachón continues to challenge the validity of the accusations. As the debate unfolds, the focus remains on whether the alleged contracts were legitimate or part of a larger pattern of mismanagement. The outcome of this conflict could have significant implications for governance and public trust in the administration.