Presidential candidate Santiago Botero led a campaign event last Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Bogotá. During this political meeting, the candidate from the “Romper el Sistema” (Break the System) movement offered a 25-million-peso raffle. A campaign flyer previously promoted this activity by inviting people to receive “seed capital” in cash. The politician awarded five-million-peso cash prizes to each of the five winners selected by a random drawing during the event.
News media captured the moment the winners accepted the cash on camera. Botero framed the payments as a catalyst for his followers’ business ventures and productive projects.
Defending his personal spending, the candidate asserted his right to use his wealth as he sees fit, claiming: “I do what I want with my money because I earned it legally.” The candidate also rejected accusations of electoral crimes, claiming that he never asks recipients to vote for his campaign in exchange for the money.
Statements from the authorities
The Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) monitors the transparency of elections through a network of civil society organizations. The director of the MOE, Alejandra Barrios, described the activity as an unusual practice in current Colombian politics. She pointed out that these raffles bypass the standard rules for campaign advertising or funding established by current law. Barrios warned that promising cash breaks the communication of government programs and specific proposals to citizens.
#ElGranReto2026 | La Misión de Observación Electoral (@moecolombia) se pronunció sobre la rifa realizada por el candidato presidencial Santiago Botero y advirtió que este tipo de prácticas son atípicas y abren un debate ético en campaña.
— ÚltimaHoraCaracol (@UltimaHoraCR) April 17, 2026
La directora Alejandra Barrios llamó a… pic.twitter.com/uH9njUiKXR
Similarly, Coljuegos manages and regulates games of chance as a state-owned enterprise in Colombia. The official agency clarified that it never granted permits to any current presidential campaign to hold raffles or promotional drawings. The president of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, stated that Santiago Botero’s activity lacks the required legal permits. The institution reminded the public that raffles must generate funds intended exclusively to support the public health system.
Botero’s proposals
Santiago Botero, known as the “bullet candidate” (candidato del balín), bases his platform on “tough on crime” solutions against violence and corruption. His nickname comes from his promise to use extreme force against criminals. The candidate defines his government program as a strategic mix of the political visions of Nayib Bukele, Javier Milei, and Donald Trump. He proposes establishing the death penalty through a national vote to punish politicians who steal state resources.
In addition to these measures, Botero plans to arm trained civilians so they can face extortionists and protect their businesses. The politician suggests turning prisons into places of physical punishment and extreme discomfort to remove any benefit from a criminal life. Regarding the economy, the businessman promotes “fracking” to extract natural resources and seeks to eliminate the visa requirement for the United States through a deep diplomatic alliance. Botero rejects funding from traditional political bosses and claims his administration will completely break with the current government system.
Legal requirements for raffles in Colombia
Organizing a legal raffle requires prior permission from the local city hall or Coljuegos, depending on where the drawing takes place. The law strictly prohibits giving away cash prizes in raffles.
Furthermore, the person in charge of the event must prove they own the prizes before asking for official approval. Operating games of chance without state authorization is a crime known as “illegal exercise of a state monopoly.”
The Colombian Penal Code imposes prison sentences of six to eight years for those who operate illegal drawings, along with administrative fines. The justice system can also investigate these events as “corruption of the voter” if the candidate conditions the money on receiving a vote.