Sandra Ortiz, Former Presidential Advisor, Sentenced to Prison Over Ungrd Corruption Case

Sandra Ortiz, former presidential advisor for the regions, was sentenced to prison on December 18, 2024, in connection with the corruption scandal involving the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd). With this ruling, Ortiz becomes the highest-ranking official in President Gustavo Petro’s administration to face incarceration over this scandal.

During a hearing, the Third Guarantees Court of Bogotá ordered Ortiz’s detention. She faces charges of influence peddling and money laundering, accusations she has denied. “I have endured the worst ordeal for not accepting a plea deal, and I will fight to the very end to prove my innocence.”, Ortiz proclaimed during the hearing. She also alleged that her imprisonment resulted from “a conspiracy orchestrated by a high-ranking government official close to President Petro”.

Ortiz also implicated Laura Sarabia, director of the Administrative Department of the Presidency (Dapre), during the detention hearing. She claimed Sarabia was aware of irregularities in the contracts for water tankers destined for La Guajira. “At the time, I informed Laura Sarabia about the tankers. We knew the commitment we had as a government to address the issues in La Guajira. This is a great lie, a smokescreen they fabricated,” Ortiz stated.

After these allegations Sarabia denied any accusation, asserting her involvement with the Ungrd began after the events in question. She tweeted: “I joined Dapre on February 28, 2024. One of my first actions, agreed upon with the president, was to request the resignation of the Ungrd director and suspend all contracts.”

Sarabia has since filed defamation and slander charges against Ortiz, stating through her attorney, Jorge Mario Gómez Restrepo, that Ortiz must provide evidence to support her claims. Gómez Restrepo told Caracol Radio: “We have filed a criminal complaint for defamation and slander. Ortiz made accusations for which she must be held accountable. She presented no concrete evidence to substantiate her claims.” He added: “We are prepared to pursue this matter to its conclusion. While I understand Ortiz’s family situation, making baseless accusations requires accountability and proof.”

¿A quiénes intentan proteger Sandra Ortiz y Ángela Benedetti? ¿Qué intereses oscuros buscan favorecer con sus mentiras?
El tuit de Laura Sarabia lo dice todo: hemos denunciado penalmente a Sandra Ortiz. Su intervención ante una juez de la República fue un acto descarado de… pic.twitter.com/0IC5qV4ijd

— JORGE MARIO GOMEZ RESTREPO (@JORGEMARIOGOMER) December 18, 2024

Who Is Sandra Ortiz?

Sandra Ortiz joined President Petro’s administration in May 2023 as a presidential advisor for the regions. Hailing from Boyacá, Ortiz built her political career with the Green Party, serving as a congresswoman in 2014 and later as a senator. Her ties to regional politics are notable. Her siblings, Jhon and Elena Ortiz, served as mayors in Boyacá, and she has longstanding connections with Carlos Amaya, the governor of this region.

Ortiz is accused of acting as an intermediary to deliver approximately $681 million USD in cash to then-Senate President Iván Name. The funds, allegedly sourced from public contracts, were reportedly given as incentives to expedite government reforms in Congress. These actions led to her indictment on charges of influence peddling and money laundering. Prosecutors deemed her continued freedom a threat to the investigation.

Headline photo: Sandra Ortiz (Photo: https://x.com/SandraOrtizN/)