The Colombian government has asked Nicaragua to reconsider its decision to grant political asylum to Carlos Ram\u00f3n Gonz\u00e1lez Merch\u00e1n, until recently a high-ranking official in Colombian President Gustavo Petro\u2019s government, who is facing an arrest warrant for corruption.<\/p>\n\n
This was stated by Colombia\u2019s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Justice in a statement noting that they \u201cdo not share the decision\u201d of the Nicaraguan government on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, <\/a>\u201cto grant political asylum\u201d to Gonz\u00e1lez, \u201cgiven that the individual is wanted by Colombian justice for the alleged commission of ordinary crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n \u201cColombia requests that the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua take into account the evidence provided by the Attorney General\u2019s Office and, consequently, reconsider its decision in order to revoke such international protection, so that Mr. Gonz\u00e1lez Merch\u00e1n can surrender to Colombian justice, which will provide him with all procedural guarantees,\u201d the statement says.<\/p>\n\n The report adds that Gonz\u00e1lez, implicated in the largest corruption scandal of the Petro administration, \u201cis facing a criminal process in Colombia for the alleged commission of ordinary crimes under Colombian law, and for this reason extradition has been requested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Gonz\u00e1lez, 66, and a former comrade of Petro in the demobilized M-19 guerrilla, held important positions in his government, including director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre) and of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI).<\/p>\n\n His name surfaced a few months ago in investigations into the embezzlement of funds from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), attached to the Dapre, which were allegedly used to pay bribes to congressmen in exchange for legislative support for the government.<\/p>\n\n For that reason, the Attorney General\u2019s Office charged him with bribery, embezzlement of state assets, and money laundering, accusing him of ordering multimillion-dollar kickbacks to the former presidents of the Senate, Iv\u00e1n Name, and the House of Representatives, Andr\u00e9s Calle, both of whom are now detained in connection with the case.<\/p>\n\n However, after media reports that Gonz\u00e1lez had fled to Nicaragua and was under the protection of the Colombian embassy in Managua<\/a>, the government requested his extradition from the country \u2014 a request that was denied. <\/p>\n\n #Communicado<\/a>:Scandal in the Government<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n