WORLD IN BRIEF : COLOMBIA : Samper Aide Seized; Scandal Deepens

Colombia’s political crisis deepened following the arrest of a key figure in President Ernesto Samper’s 1994 election campaign for allegedly accepting donations from drug traffickers. Santiago Medina, treasurer of Samper’s campaign, was to be interrogated in Bogota after his arrest. Prosecutor General Alfonso Valdivieso ordered Medina’s arrest after he failed last week to explain satisfactorily why he endorsed a check for 40 million pesos ($46,000) given to the campaign by a front company for the Cali cocaine cartel. Despite his success in practically dismantling the Cali cartel, Samper has not been able to shake off accusations that his election campaign received $3.7 million from the drug organization.