Colombian Inspector General Launches Inquiry Into “Cédula de Extranjería” Card Contract

The Procuraduría General de la Nación, Colombia’s top public oversight and disciplinary body, has initiated a preliminary inquiry into potential irregularities surrounding a direct contract for the production of foreign identification cards, known as cédulas de extranjería. The investigation targets officials and contractors, who are yet to be publicly named, within the country’s immigration agency, the Unidad Administrativa Especial de Migración Colombia, and the Imprenta Nacional de Colombia, the national printing office.

The probe stems from a complaint filed with the disciplinary entity, which alleges significant failures in the execution of the contract by the Imprenta Nacional. According to the Procuraduría, these alleged breaches were documented by contract supervisors and in communications between the two government bodies.

The core of the issue appears to be a failure by the contractor to meet production and delivery obligations for the identification documents. The complaint suggests this situation compelled the Imprenta Nacional to create a contingency plan to expedite the printing and delivery of a backlog of pending documents. This plan was reportedly unsuccessful, leading to a breach of contract that has negatively impacted foreign residents in Colombia who rely on the credentials for their legal status and daily activities.

The preliminary inquiry is an initial investigative phase. Its objective, as stated by the Procuraduría, is to identify the individuals potentially responsible for any disciplinary offense fully. During this stage, investigators will gather evidence to define the specific actions under scrutiny and to determine if those actions constitute disciplinary violations that warrant formal charges.

This investigation into the foreign residency cards is separate from, but adds to, the ongoing scrutiny of contracts held by the Imprenta Nacional, which has also been at the center of a national controversy regarding the production of Colombian passports. To date, neither Migración Colombia nor the Imprenta Nacional has issued a formal public statement responding to this specific preliminary inquiry.

Headline photo: Colombian cédula. (Credit: Migración Colombia)