The son of Colombia's president, Nicolas Petro, has been arrested as part of a probe into money laundering and illicit enrichment, according to a statement from the Colombian attorney

general's office.

Nicolas Petro, who is also a congressman in the Atlantico province, came under investigation in early March after facing accusations of accepting money from drug traffickers in exchange for facilitating his father's efforts to negotiate peace talks with criminal organizations in the Caribbean region. At the time, Petro vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing them as political and personal attacks aimed at undermining his career achievements.

In response to the news of his son's arrest, President Gustavo Petro expressed his sorrow, assuring that the legal proceedings would be conducted in compliance with the law. On his official Twitter account, he stated that he would not interfere or pressure the attorney general in handling the case.

Previously, the president welcomed the investigation, encouraging the attorney general to thoroughly investigate the claims involving his son.

An arrest warrant was also issued for Nicolas Petro's former wife, Daysuris del Carmen Vásquez Castro, on charges of money laundering and violation of personal data for events that occurred between 2022 and the present, according to the attorney general's office statement. The arrested individuals will be brought before a Municipal Criminal Judge with the Function of Guarantee Control, and measures to restrict their freedom will be requested. Photo by Felipe Ortega Grijalba, Wikimedia commons.