The Colombian Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that this Wednesday it will file a request for a charges hearing against former Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla, as part of the corruption case that has shaken the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
The formal accusation attributes to the former official the crimes of influence peddling and undue interest in the awarding of contracts, alleging that he may have intervened to benefit members of Congress with public projects in exchange for political favors.
This judicial step marks an escalation in an investigation that dates back two years, as it is the first time it directly involves a minister: What until now had been a preliminary inquiry, with testimonial statements and evidentiary elements, becomes a formal indictment before a judge, meaning the Prosecutor’s Office considers it has sufficient grounds to take the case to trial.
Colombian Prosecutor links former minister Bonilla to corruption scandal
The UNGRD scandal originated in 2023 and became public a year later, following allegations about the irregular purchase of 40 water tank trucks intended to supply drinking water to the department of La Guajira. These vehicles, acquired by UNGRD with public funds amounting to tens of billions of pesos, never fulfilled the purpose for which they were contracted.
One of the most serious aspects of the case is the alleged diversion of resources and payment of bribes to members of Congress: Former officials of the entity, including former deputy director Sneyder Pinilla, confessed that they delivered millions of pesos in cash to congressional leaders (such as former presidents of the Senate and the House) in exchange for approving key indicative budget allocations for the government.
The investigation has implicated several high-ranking officials: Former directors and deputy directors of UNGRD, advisers to the Ministry of Finance, and even members of the executive closest to power, as is now the case with former minister Bonilla. It has been described as the most serious corruption case of President Gustavo Petro’s administration.
The scandal erupted when it was revealed that the water tank trucks contracted to address the water crisis in vulnerable areas — particularly in La Guajira — never arrived or were not used, raising suspicions about the management of resources and contracting irregularities.
The first revelations came from former UNGRD officials who agreed to cooperate with the justice system, admitting that some contracts had been steered and that there were bribes to members of Congress to secure political support. That confession led to multiple investigations, arrests, and requests for judicial cooperation.
So far, there have already been convictions against some individuals involved — such as Sneyder Pinilla, convicted in April of this year — and several former officials continue to face ongoing proceedings. With the indictment of Ricardo Bonilla, the investigation now enters a more advanced phase, with the possibility of a formal trial.
What does the Prosecutor’s Office attribute to former minister Bonilla?
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Bonilla — when he served as finance minister — allegedly intervened improperly to favor the awarding of three contract projects amounting to nearly 92 billion pesos (approximately US$24 million). These projects were intended for various municipalities and were allegedly meant to benefit members of Congress holding key positions in economic committees.
Although the funds were never disbursed, the Prosecutor’s Office argues that there was a deliberate intention to favor certain legislators, which constitutes the crimes for which he will be charged: influence peddling and undue interest in the awarding of contracts.
The move toward indictment comes after cooperation with the justice system by a former adviser to the Ministry of Finance, Maria Alejandra Benavides, who accepted an opportunity principle and agreed to reveal how this contract-steering scheme operated.
The Prosecutor’s Office’s decision to formally indict a former minister — and one of the government’s closest allies — indicates that the UNGRD case is no longer just a series of media accusations or isolated testimonies, but a structured process with concrete charges and real prospects of trial. This deepens the government’s credibility crisis, as it shows that high-level members may have used their positions to steer contracts and political favors.
This case had at the time a strong impact on public opinion, given the vulnerability of the people who — in theory — were supposed to receive the UNGRD investments that never arrived and who, according to the accusations, were exploited for darker purposes, intensifying social outrage.